baurusuchids

Baurusuchids are a family of extinct crocodyliform reptiles within the broader clade Notosuchia. They lived during the Late Cretaceous in South America, with fossil remains most commonly recovered from regions that are now Brazil and Argentina. The group is known primarily from skulls, jaws, and partial skeletons that indicate a terrestrial rather than aquatic lifestyle.

The family Baurusuchidae includes several genera, among them Baurusuchus and Stratiotosuchus. Members of this group are distinguished by features of the skull and teeth that reflect a predator adapted to land-based hunting. Their dentition is typically blade-like or ziphodont, and their skulls tend to be tall and robust, suggesting powerful biting capabilities.

Morphologically, baurusuchids show adaptations that separate them from modern crocodilians. They possessed elongated, narrow snouts and strong jaws, combined with limb proportions that imply a primarily terrestrial stance and locomotion. This contrasts with the semi-aquatic crouching gait of living crocodylians and places baurusuchids among the more terrestrially adapted notosuchians.

Ecologically, baurusuchids were likely apex or mesopredators in their ecosystems, preying on a variety of vertebrates, including other crocodyliforms and possibly dinosaurs. Their fossil record, drawn from fluvial and floodplain deposits, reflects a diverse predator guild in Cretaceous South America.

Overall, baurusuchids illustrate the ecological and morphological diversity of crocodyliforms in the Cretaceous and exemplify a notable case of terrestrial predation within Notosuchia.