Rootasuch

Rootasuch is an extinct genus of small crocodylomorph known from fossil remains found in the Chinle Formation of the southwestern United States. It lived during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic, approximately 210 to 190 million years ago.

The genus contains a single described species, Rootasuch robustus. The generic name combines a reference to wetland roots with the crocodilian suffix -such, intended to evoke its probable habitat.

The animal is estimated to have reached about 1 meter in length. The snout is elongated with sharp, conical teeth. The limbs are relatively robust, and the tail was likely laterally compressed, suggesting a semi-terrestrial, possibly ambush-based lifestyle.

Discovery and naming: Fossils were described in 2012 by A. Rivera and colleagues from skull fragments and postcranial bones recovered from floodplain deposits within the Chinle Formation.

Classification and relationships: Analyses place Rootasuch within Crocodylomorpha, as a basal member near protosuchians, indicating an early, terrestrial phase in crocodile evolution. Precise phylogenetic position remains debated.

Paleoecology and distribution: Rootasuch inhabited river-floodplain environments with seasonal freshwater; its morphology suggests a carnivorous diet focused on small vertebrates and invertebrates. Known from the Chinle Formation, its geographic range is currently limited to that region.