Caipirasuchus
Encyclopedia
Caipirasuchus is an extinct genus
of sphagesaurid notosuchian known from the Late Cretaceous
of São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil
.
specimen MPMA-67-0001/00, an almost complete and undeformed skull
and mandible
with teeth (only three teeth are missing) from a single individual. It was found on the São Francisco Farm, in Homem de Mello, the rural area of Monte Alto County. It was collected from the Adamantina Formation
of the Bauru Basin, which dates to the Turonian
and Santonian
stages of the Late Cretaceous.
e bones. Each premaxilla has four teeth set into it. There is a gap called a diastema
in the premaxillary tooth row, and a diastema in between the premaxillary and maxilla
ry teeth. The dentary bone of the lower jaw has ten teeth on either side, with two diastemata separating them. The forward-most teeth are suited for capturing food, while the back teeth are adapted for food processing. The palatine bone
in the roof of the mouth connects to the maxilla bone of the snout by a region of bone called the cuneiform process. Caipirasuchus also has large pterygoid and ectopterygoid bones and a well-developed hole in front of the eye sockets called the antorbital fenestra
.
and the type species
is C. paulistanus. The generic name is derived from Portuguese
word Caipira
which refers to the rural inhabitants of the Brazilian states, covering almost all of the Bauru Basin, and Greek
souchus meaning "crocodile". The specific name is derived from "paulista
", the designation for the residents of São Paulo State, where the holotype was found.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of sphagesaurid notosuchian known from the Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous
The Late Cretaceous is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous period is divided in the geologic timescale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous series...
of São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Discovery
Caipirasuchus is known only from the holotypeHolotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimen MPMA-67-0001/00, an almost complete and undeformed skull
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
and mandible
Mandible
The mandible pronunciation or inferior maxillary bone forms the lower jaw and holds the lower teeth in place...
with teeth (only three teeth are missing) from a single individual. It was found on the São Francisco Farm, in Homem de Mello, the rural area of Monte Alto County. It was collected from the Adamantina Formation
Adamantina Formation
The Adamantina Formation is a geological formation in Brazil whose strata date back to the Late Cretaceous. Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the formation...
of the Bauru Basin, which dates to the Turonian
Turonian
The Turonian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the second age in the Late Cretaceous epoch, or a stage in the Upper Cretaceous series. It spans the time between 93.5 ± 0.8 Ma and 89.3 ± 1 Ma...
and Santonian
Santonian
The Santonian is an age in the geologic timescale or a chronostratigraphic stage. It is a subdivision of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series. It spans the time between 85.8 ± 0.7 mya and 83.5 ± 0.7 mya...
stages of the Late Cretaceous.
Description
Caipirasuchus has about ten autapomorphies or unique characteristics. The external naris (the nostril opening in the skull) is bordered only by the premaxillaPremaxilla
The incisive bone is the portion of the maxilla adjacent to the incisors. It is a pair of small cranial bones at the very tip of the jaws of many animals, usually bearing teeth, but not always. They are connected to the maxilla and the nasals....
e bones. Each premaxilla has four teeth set into it. There is a gap called a diastema
Diastema
Diastema may refer to:*Diastema , from the family Gesneriaceae*Diastema , a gap between the front teeth...
in the premaxillary tooth row, and a diastema in between the premaxillary and maxilla
Maxilla
The maxilla is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper jaw. This is similar to the mandible , which is also a fusion of two halves at the mental symphysis. Sometimes The maxilla (plural: maxillae) is a fusion of two bones along the palatal fissure that form the upper...
ry teeth. The dentary bone of the lower jaw has ten teeth on either side, with two diastemata separating them. The forward-most teeth are suited for capturing food, while the back teeth are adapted for food processing. The palatine bone
Palatine bone
The palatine bone is a bone in many species of the animal kingdom, commonly termed the palatum .-Human anatomy:...
in the roof of the mouth connects to the maxilla bone of the snout by a region of bone called the cuneiform process. Caipirasuchus also has large pterygoid and ectopterygoid bones and a well-developed hole in front of the eye sockets called the antorbital fenestra
Antorbital fenestra
An antorbital fenestra is an opening in the skull, in front of the eye sockets. This skull formation first appeared in archosaurs during the Triassic Period. Living birds today possess antorbital fenestrae, but the feature has been lost in modern crocodilians...
.
Etymology
Caipirasuchus was first named by Fabiano V. Iori and Ismar S. Carvalho in 20112011 in paleontology
-Lobopods:-Arachnids:-Insects:-Newly named jawless vertebrates:-Newly named acanthodian:-Newly named cartilaginous fishes:-Newly named bony fishes:-Newly named lepospondyls:-Newly named temnospondyls:-Newly named lissamphibians:...
and the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
is C. paulistanus. The generic name is derived from Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
word Caipira
Caipira
Caipira is a Brazilian Portuguese term used to designate inhabitants of rural, remote areas of some Brazilian states—it refers to the people of lesser schooling. It can be considered pejorative when used to describe others, but it can also be used as a self-identifier without negative connotations...
which refers to the rural inhabitants of the Brazilian states, covering almost all of the Bauru Basin, and Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
souchus meaning "crocodile". The specific name is derived from "paulista
Paulista
Paulista is a city in Pernambuco, Brazil, population according to IBGE/2009, 319.373 people making it the 4th most populous city in PE). Its near 6 cities plus the ocean and has the highest HDI of the metro area. It is the birthplace of footballer Rivaldo, and is also famous for its beaches;...
", the designation for the residents of São Paulo State, where the holotype was found.