Diandongosuchus fuyuanensis (Li et al. 2012) ZMNH M8770 Falang Formation, Middle Triassic, skull length up to 24 cm, is derived from BPI 2871 and gave rise to the parasuchians, Paleorhinus and Parasuchus. Diandongosuchus is not far from long-legged Chanaresuchus.
Diandongosuchus was originally (Li et al. 2012) nested with Qianosuchus and the poposaurids, but it shares very few traits with these taxa as blogged here.
Distinct from BPI 2871, Diandongosuchus was an acquatic and terrestrial predator that retained its croc-like skull shape, but had very long robust legs. The orbits were smaller. The rostrum was longer. The nares were displaced posteriorly. An antorbital fenestra with fossa was present. The rostrum remained longer than the mandible.
The cervicals had tall neural spines. Only two sacrals were present. The tail (what was preserved) is taller and narrow.
The scapula was narrow. The coracoid had a large embayment not seen otherwise but in Parasuchus. The clavicles were elongated. The interclavicle was I-shaped. The limbs were elongated and robust. The manus was smaller than the pes with proportions similar to those of Parasuchus.
The pelvis was relatively large and included a shallow pubic apron. The femur had a large, sharp fourth trochanter. The fibula had long fibula trochanter. The astragalus and calcaneum were similar in size and the calcaneum had a U-shape, as in parasuchians. Metatarsal 4 was longer than 3, as in Youngina. Metarsal 5 and digit were both shorter. |
