- Desmatosuchus
-
Desmatosuchus
Temporal range: Late Triassic
Desmatosuchus from Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona Scientific classification 
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: †Aetosauria Family: †Stagonolepididae Subfamily: †Desmatosuchinae Genus: †Desmatosuchus
Case, 1920Species Desmatosuchus (meaning "link crocodile") is an extinct genus of archosaur belonging to the Order Aetosauria. It was one of the largest aetosaurs, being 5 metres (16 ft) long[2] and about 1.50 m (5 ft) high. It lived during the Late Triassic in Texas.
Desmatosuchus haplocerus from the Late Triassic of Texas
FossilDesmatosuchus looked like its relatives, possessing an armored body and pig-like head. It had a shovel-like snout and weak teeth that suggest it lived by uprooting soft plants. Like many of its relatives, it had heavy armoured plates along its back, tail, and parts of the underside. However, unlike most other aetosaurs, Desmatosuchus also had two rows of spikes along the sides of its back. The largest spikes, above the shoulders, were 45 centimetres (18 in) long. These probably gave it extra protection against predators.[2]
Two species are currently accepted: D. spurensis and D. smalli.[3] Desmatosuchus chamaensis is recognized as a distinct genus,[4] but there is some dispute about whether the name Heliocanthus or Rioarribasuchus applies.[5]
In popular culture
Desmatosuchus was featured in When Dinosaurs Roamed America, driving away an annoying Coelophysis and a predatory Rutiodon. Desmatosuchus was also featured in an episode of Animal Armageddon, where it was hunted by Staurikosaurus, one of the first true dinosaurs, into eventual extinction. In both, Desmatosuchus was used to contrast the anatomy of the earlier archosaur reptiles with that of the first true dinosaurs. It was also featured in the 2011 video game Dino D-Day, as a playable Nazi class. It is featured with brown skin and a 20 millimeter cannon mounted to its back. Several references are made in the game's dialogue that it is not technically a Dinosaur.
References
- ^ Parker, W.G. (2005). A new species of the Late Triassic aetosaur Desmatosuchus (Archosauria:Pseudosuchia). Compte Rendus Palevol 4(4): 327-340.
- ^ a b Palmer, D., ed (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 96. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
- ^ Parker, W.G. (2008). Description of new material of the aetosaur Desmatosuchus spurensis (Archosauria: Suchia) from the Chinle Formation of Arizona and a revision of the genus Desmatosuchus. PaleoBios 28(1): 1-40.
- ^ Parker, W.G. (2007). Reassessment of the aetosaur “Desmatosuchus” chamaensis with a reanalysis of the phylogeny of the Aetosauria (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia). Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 5(1): 41-68.
- ^ http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2007/04/post_2.php.
This article about a prehistoric archosaur is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
