Species †M. affuvelensis Rank Genus | Class Reptilia Phylum Chordata Order Crocodiles | |
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Similar Musturzabalsuchus, Ischyrochampsa, Arenysuchus, Acynodon, Hassiacosuchus | ||
Massaliasuchus is an extinct genus of allodaposuchid crocodylian that is known from fossils found in Santonian–Campanian-age Upper Cretaceous rocks of southeastern France.
Systematics
Massaliasuchus was first described in 1869 by Philippe Matheron as Crocodilus affuvelensis, based on remains including skull bones. The new genus name was given to it in 2008 by Jeremy Martin and Eric Buffetaut. Massaliasuchus was considered to be related to early alligatoroids. Its name means "Marseille crocodile".
Recent cladistic analysis places Massaliasuchus as a member of Allodaposuchidae, a clade of basal eusuchians from the Late Cretaceous of southern Europe. The genus can be distinguished from Musturzabalsuchus in having 15 alveoli in the dentary.
References
Massaliasuchus Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA