Lead author Dr Rodrigo Temp Muller stated, "This animal was an active predator, but despite its relatively large size, it was far from the largest hunter of its time with the same ecosystem home to giants as big as seven meters long." The research, published in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, highlights the diversity of Pseudosuchia, the group preceding crocodiles, which took on various hunting strategies and tackled robust or swift prey.
Although Tainrakuasuchus bellator's appearance resembles dinosaurs, anatomical details like the pelvis and femur confirm it is not part of the dinosaur lineage. The fossil, discovered in Dona Francisca, southern Brazil, contains preserved jaw, vertebrae, and pelvic bones, with its back covered by bony osteoderms similar to those found in present-day crocodiles. While limb fossils were missing, the research team inferred its movement on all four legs, akin to close relatives.
The species name, Tainrakuasuchus, combines Guarani and Greek roots referencing 'pointed tooth crocodile', and the epithet 'bellator' honors the resilience and fighting spirit of Rio Grande do Sul residents recently affected by floods. Dr Muller described the find as "extremely rare," underscoring complex Triassic ecosystems and evidence of an ancient connection between Brazil and Africa when the continents were united as Pangaea.
"What we uncovered was a species that belongs to a predator closely related to one (Mandasuchus tanyauchen) found in Tanzania," Dr Muller explained. "At that time, the continents were still united, which allowed the free dispersal of organisms across regions that are now separated by oceans. As a result, the faunas of Brazil and Africa shared several common elements, reflecting an intertwined evolutionary and ecological history."
Tainrakuasuchus bellator lived near a vast, arid desert where the first dinosaurs emerged, showing southern Brazil hosted diverse reptile communities adapted to different strategies. The discovery helps illuminate evolutionary transitions that shaped later ecosystems.
Research Report: Osteology, taxonomy and phylogenetic affinities of a new pseudosuchian archosaur from the Middle Triassic of southern Brazil
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