Orthosuchus
Orthosuchus is an extinct genus of early crocodyliform reptiles that lived during the Triassic period. Fossils have been found in southern Africa, notably in rocks of the Karoo Basin associated with the Stormberg Group. The genus name combines Greek orthos, meaning straight, with suchus, meaning crocodile, a reference to its relatively straight snout compared with later crocodilians. The type species is Orthosuchus stormbergensis, known from fragmentary skull and postcranial remains.
Orthosuchus was a small-bodied animal, with estimates placing its length at roughly half a meter to under
In terms of classification, Orthosuchus is regarded as an early or basal crocodyliform, a member of the
Paleobiology and ecology are inferred from its morphology and the deposits where it was found. Orthosuchus