erythrosuchians

Erythrosuchians were a group of large, predatory archosauriform reptiles that lived during the Triassic period. They are considered among the earliest large terrestrial predators, appearing shortly after the Permian-Triassic extinction event. Erythrosuchians were characterized by their robust build, powerful limbs, and large heads. Their exact phylogenetic position is debated, but they are generally placed within the Archosauriformes, a group that includes crocodiles, dinosaurs, and birds. Some researchers consider them to be basal archosaurs or stem-archosaurs, meaning they predate the divergence of the major archosaur lineages.

These animals were quadrupedal, with strong, pillar-like limbs supporting their bodies. Their skulls were often long and narrow, housing sharp teeth adapted for tearing flesh. Fossil evidence suggests they were active hunters, preying on smaller reptiles and early mammals. Erythrosuchians are known from various localities around the world, with significant finds in Russia, South Africa, and China. Their ecological dominance as apex predators was relatively short-lived, as they were eventually replaced by more derived archosaurs like the rauisuchians and early theropod dinosaurs later in the Triassic. The diversity of erythrosuchians was not extensive, with only a few genera recognized, the most well-known being Erythrosuchus itself. Their appearance marked a significant step in the evolution of large terrestrial carnivores in the Mesozoic Era.