Gracilisuchidae is an extinct family of suchian archosaurs known from the early Middle Triassic to the early Late Triassic (Anisian – early Carnian) of China, Argentina, and Brazil.[1][2]
| Gracilisuchids | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Archosauria |
| Clade: | Pseudosuchia |
| Clade: | Suchia |
| Family: | †Gracilisuchidae Butler et al. 2014 |
| Genera | |
Distribution
editCurrently, the oldest known gracilisuchid is Turfanosuchus dabanensis from the Anisian stage of Xinjiang, China. Two gracilisuchids are known from the Ladinian or early Carnian stage, Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum and Yonghesuchus sangbiensis, from La Rioja Province of Argentina, and Shanxi, respectively. These species were considered enigmatic prior to the recognition of the family in 2014, suggesting a rapid phylogenetic diversification of archosaurs by the Middle Triassic. This radiation is a part of the broader recovery of terrestrial ecosystems after the Permian–Triassic extinction event. Gracilisuchids are known from approximately similar northern and southern mid-palaeolatitudes, demonstrating a wide distribution of early archosaurs over much or all of Pangaea by the early Middle Triassic.[1] Parvosuchus, from Brazil's Santa Maria Formation (Ladinian–Carnian boundary), represents the first unequivocal gracilisuchid from the country. Maehary, known from the Caturrita Formation (Norian stage) of Brazil, is likely a gracilisuchid, although it was originally described as an early-diverging pterosauromorph.[3][2]
History
editThe family Gracilisuchidae first appeared in a classification scheme for all fossil vertebrates, published by Robert L. Carroll in 1988. As no description or definition were provided by Carroll for the erection of the name, it is unavailable under Article 13.1.1 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Richard J. Butler, Corwin Sullivan, Martín D. Ezcurra, Jun Liu, Agustina Lecuona and Roland B. Sookias described and officially named the family in 2014, to include several early archosaurs, previously considered enigmatic. They phylogenetically defined the family as the most inclusive clade containing Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum, but not Ornithosuchus woordwardi, Aetosaurus ferratus, Poposaurus gracilis, Postosuchus kirkpatricki, Rutiodon carolinensis, Erpetosuchus granti, Revueltosaurus callenderi, Crocodylus niloticus (the Nile Crocodile), or Passer domesticus (the house sparrow).[1] Apart from Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum, Carroll assigned to Gracilisuchidae the Middle Triassic Lewisuchus admixtus, which is now considered a silesaurid dinosauriform. Turfanosuchus dabanensis and Yonghesuchus sangbiensis were considered basal or stem archosaurs prior to their inclusion in the family in 2014, depending on phylogenetic hypothesis.[1]
References
edit
- ^ a b c d Butler, R. J.; Sullivan, C.; Ezcurra, M. N. D.; Liu, J.; Lecuona, A.; Sookias, R. B. (2014). "New clade of enigmatic early archosaurs yields insights into early pseudosuchian phylogeny and the biogeography of the archosaur radiation". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 14 (1): 128. Bibcode:2014BMCEE..14..128B. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-14-128. PMC 4061117. PMID 24916124.
- ^ a b Müller, Rodrigo T. (2024-06-20). "A new small-sized predatory pseudosuchian archosaur from the Middle-Late Triassic of Southern Brazil". Scientific Reports. 14 (1): 12706. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-63313-3. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 11189902.
- ^ Kellner, A.W.A.; Holgado, B.; Grillo, O.; Pretto, F.A.; Kerber, L.; Pinheiro, F.L.; Soares, M.B.; Schultz, C.L.; Lopes, R.T.; Araújo, A.; Müller, R.T. (2022). "Reassessment of Faxinalipterus minimus, a purported Triassic pterosaur from southern Brazil with the description of a new taxon". PeerJ. 10: e13276. doi:10.7717/peerj.13276. PMC 9074864. PMID 35529502.