The Cretaceous crocodyliform Caipirasuchus: behavioral feeding mechanisms

Caipirasuchus is a sphagesaurid crocodyliform from the Cretaceous of the Bauru Basin. Three species, with terrestrial habits, leaned bodies and measuring less than 1.5 m in length, have been described up to now: Caipirasuchus montealtensis, C. paulistanus and C. stenognathus. Similar to other advanc...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Iori, Fabiano Vidoi, Carvalho, Ismar de Souza
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2017
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
Repository:Repositório Institucional da UFRJ
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:pantheon.ufrj.br:11422/3392
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11422/3392
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Caipirasuchus
Bauru Basin
paleobiology
paleoecology
Crocodyliformes
Cretaceous
Paleobiologia
Crocodilianos
Fósseis
Paleoecologia
CNPQ::CIENCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA::GEOCIENCIAS::GEOLOGIA::PALEONTOLOGIA ESTRATIGRAFICA
Description
Summary:Caipirasuchus is a sphagesaurid crocodyliform from the Cretaceous of the Bauru Basin. Three species, with terrestrial habits, leaned bodies and measuring less than 1.5 m in length, have been described up to now: Caipirasuchus montealtensis, C. paulistanus and C. stenognathus. Similar to other advanced notosuchians, they present a complex mastication mechanism that includes propalinal movements, side alternation during chewing and tooth-to-tooth occlusion. This study analyzes the anatomic structures and dental wear related to such mastication mechanisms in Caipirasuchus, in corresponding to feeding strategies.