Metasuchians

Metasuchians are a clade of extinct crocodylomorphs that lived during the Mesozoic Era. They represent a significant evolutionary step in the lineage leading to modern crocodiles. This group is characterized by a number of skeletal features, including the presence of a supratemporal fenestra and a more elongated snout compared to earlier pseudosuchians. Metasuchians first appeared in the Triassic period and diversified throughout the Jurassic and Cretaceous. They encompassed a wide range of forms, from small, slender animals to larger, more robust predators. Many metasuchians possessed a degree of armor plating, known as osteoderms, on their backs and flanks, a feature that persisted in their descendants. The group includes a variety of subgroups and extinct families. Their evolutionary success is evident in their widespread distribution across various continents during their time. The extinction of most metasuchians occurred at the end of the Cretaceous period, coinciding with the K-Pg extinction event, though a lineage survived to give rise to the extant crocodilians of today. Studying metasuchians provides valuable insights into the evolutionary history of archosaurs and the broader patterns of vertebrate evolution during the age of dinosaurs.