Kingdom Animalia Family †Dyrosauridae Rank Genus | Class Reptilia Phylum Chordata | |
 | ||
Similar Chenanisuchus, Pliogonodon, Kansajsuchus | ||
Arambourgisuchus ("[Prof. Camille] Arambourg's crocodile") was a dyrosaurid crocodylomorph from the late Palaeocene of Morocco, found in the region of Sidi Chenane in 2000, following collaboration by French and Moroccan institutions, and described in 2005 by a team led by palaeontologist Stéphane Jouve.
Contents
Its type and only species is A. khouribgaensis, after the town of Khouribga, near which the holotype was found.
Material
Four specimens of this taxon have been found:
The remains of A. khourgbaensis were found in a phosphate mine in the region of Sidi Chenane, part of the Ouled Abdoun Basin. The age of this animal is therefore Thanetian (late Palaeocene).
Systematics
Arambourgisuchus khourbgaensis is a member of the Dyrosauridae, based on the presence of the following synapomorphies:
According to Jouve et al. (2005), it is probably one of the most derived forms, but the lack of better material makes a correct determination of its affinities difficult.
Palaeobiology
The skull of A. khourbgaensis was proportionally one of the longest among all of the Dyrosauridae, reaching a length of 1 meter. Its teeth were sharp but strong and large, as well as being less numerous than the ones in Dyrosaurus phosphaticus.
Like other dyrosaurids, it was a marine predator.