The rauisuchian archosaur Saurosuchus from the Upper Triassic Chinle Group, southwestern U.S.A. and its biochronological significance

ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Andrew B. Heckert Ph.D., Professor (Creator)
Institution
Appalachian State University (ASU )
Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/

Abstract: We document the first occurrence of the rauisuchian archosaur Saurosuchus from the Upper Triassic Chinle Group in the southwestern United States. The fossiliferous horizon is low in the Blue Mesa Member of the Petrified Forest Formation in the Blue Hills of east-central Arizona and yields fragmentary, but highly distinct, skull bones and teeth of Saurosuchus sp. In the Blue Hills and elsewhere in Arizona and New Mexico, the Blue Mesa Member yields a tetrapod fauna of Adamanian (latest Carnian) age. Therefore, the occurrence of Saurosuchus facilitates correlation of the Blue Mesa Member with the Upper Triassic Ischigualasto Formation in Argentina, the type and only other locality to yield fossils of Saurosuchus. This strengthens previous Chinle-Ischigualasto correlations based on the shared presence of the aetosaur Stagonolepis (=Aetosauroides) and the kannemeyeriid dicynodont Ischigualastia. The shared presence of Stagonolepis and the rhynchosaur Hyperodapedon (=Scaphonyx) further correlate the Ischigualasto to the upper portion of the Santa Maria Formation in Brazil, indicating an Adamanian age for the dinosaurs in that unit as well.

Additional Information

Publication
Heckert, A.B.,(2002) Lucas, S.G., and Krzyzanowski, S.E., The rauisuchian archosaur Saurosuchus from the Upper Triassic Chinle Group, southwestern U.S.A. and its biochronological significance. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 21, p. 241-244. (ISSN 1524-4156) Archived in NC DOCKS with permission of the editor. The version of record is available at: http://econtent.unm.edu/
Language: English
Date: 2002

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