Recent fossil discoveries in Brazil have uncovered evidence that small, crocodile-like reptiles known as Parvosuchus aurelioi roamed the region before the age of dinosaurs.
These ancient predatory reptiles, part of a group called pseudosuchians (which literally translates to 'false crocodiles'), offer new insights into the diversity of prehistoric life during the Triassic period (via Phys.org).
A fossilised skeleton of a 233 million year old Bagualosaurus Agudoensis dinosaur is seen at CAPPA, a Brazilian research support centre for paleontology in Sao Joao do Polesine, Brazil, on December 2, 2019.Photo by CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images
Brazil's Ancient Mini Crocodiles
The new species, Parvosuchus aurelioi, was identified from a partial skeleton found in the Santa Maria Formation in Brazil. The specimen includes a complete skull, lower jaw, 11 dorsal vertebrae, a pelvis, and partially preserved limbs.
Dating back approximately 237 million years to the Middle-Late Triassic period, the discovery was reported by paleontologist Rodrigo Müller in a paper published in Scientific Reports.
Parvosuchus aurelioi, named in honor of amateur paleontologist Pedro Lucas Porcela Aurélio who discovered the fossil, measures less than one meter in length.
The skull, which is 14.4 centimeters long, features long, slender jaws with pointed teeth that curve backward, and several skull openings. These characteristics classify P. aurelioi as a gracilisuchid, a subgroup of pseudosuchians previously found in China and Argentina.
Pseudosuchians were a common type of quadrupedal reptile during the Triassic period, which lasted from approximately 250 to 200 million years ago.
This period followed a massive extinction event known as the Great Dying, which wiped out more than 90 percent of Earth's species. In the aftermath, life on Earth underwent significant changes, which saw the emergence of small mammals and early dinosaurs.
Dinosaur Finds in Brazil
In addition to the discovery of Parvosuchus aurelioi, other significant fossil finds in Brazil have provided further insights into the prehistoric life of the region.
In November 2023, researchers announced the discovery of a new dinosaur species, Farlowichnus rapidus, from the Early Cretaceous period, approximately 100 to 145 million years ago. This small, carnivorous dinosaur, about 60-90 cm tall, was noted for its speed, as inferred from its fossilized trackways found in Sao Paulo state.
Another notable discovery is that of Amanasaurus nesbitti, a member of the Silesauridae family of Triassic dinosauriform reptiles. These creatures lived around 233 million years ago during the Late Triassic epoch. Silesaurids, characterized by their long necks and slender limbs, are considered close relatives of dinosaurs.
The discovery of Amanasaurus nesbitti challenges previous assumptions about the size and ecological roles of silesaurids, showing that they could rival early dinosaurs in size.
In Other News
A nearly complete fossilized skeleton of Haliskia peterseni, a massive flying reptile with a 4.6-meter wingspan, was recently discovered in western Queensland, Australia. The 100-million-year-old fossil is the most complete pterosaur ever found in Australia
