Named By: | Price in 1959 |
Time Period: | Early - Late Cretaceous, 125 Ma |
Location: | Africa, Cameroon, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Niger. South America, Argentina, Brazil |
Size: | Up to 1.8 meters long |
Diet: | unavailable |
Fossil(s): | Multiple species and remains |
Classification: | | Chordata | Reptilia | Archosauromorpha | Mesoeucrocodylia | Crocodylomorpha | Notosuchia | |
Araripesuchus is a genus of extinct crocodyliform that existed during the Cretaceous period of the late Mesozoic era some 125 to 66 million years ago. Five species of Araripesuchus are currently known. They are generally considered to be notosuchians (belonging to the clade Mesoeucrocodylia), characterized by their varied teeth types and distinct skull elements. Its length was about 1-1.8 m (3.3-5.9 ft) with a weight of 40 kg (88 lb). Araripesuchus can be distinguished by their laterally bulged edges of the snout, with the bulge being the most prominent around the area of an enlarged maxillary tooth. There are five valid species within this genus.