Indosuchus
Encyclopedia
Indosuchus is a genus
of abelisaurid dinosaur
from the Late Cretaceous
Period (70 to 65 million years ago – the Maastrichtian
era), a theropod related to Abelisaurus
. Like most theropods, Indosuchus was a bipedal carnivore
. It was possibly six meters (twenty feet) long, and had a crested skull, flattened on the top.
in 1932 and it was described by von Huene and Charles Alfred Matley
in 1933 from three partial skulls found by Matley in India
near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh
in strata of the Lameta Formation
. The lectotype
is GSI K27/685.
The generic name is derived from Indos, Ancient Greek
for the Indus and Soukhos, Ancient Greek for the Egyptian crocodile god. The specific name raptorius means "raptorial" in Latin
.
thought in 1964 it was a member of the Tyrannosauridae
. The discovery of other abelisaurids like Carnotaurus
has helped clarify its position; in 1986 José Bonaparte
concluded it was an abelisaurid.
As the remains are fragmentary it is difficult to assess whether Indosuchus is identical to other poorly known theropods from the Lameta Formation, such as Indosaurus
. It is therefore today often considered a nomen dubium
.
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 abelisaurid dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
from the Late Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
Period (70 to 65 million years ago – the Maastrichtian
Maastrichtian
The Maastrichtian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the latest age or upper stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series, the Cretaceous period or system, and of the Mesozoic era or erathem. It spanned from 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma...
era), a theropod related to Abelisaurus
Abelisaurus
Abelisaurus is a genus of abelisaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous Period of what is now South America. It was a bipedal carnivore that probably reached 7 to 9 meters in length, although it is known from only one partial skull.The generic name recognizes Roberto Abel as the...
. Like most theropods, Indosuchus was a bipedal carnivore
Carnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
. It was possibly six meters (twenty feet) long, and had a crested skull, flattened on the top.
Naming
It was named by Friedrich von HueneFriedrich von Huene
Friedrich von Huene was a German paleontologist who named more dinosaurs in the early 20th century than anyone else in Europe.-Biography:...
in 1932 and it was described by von Huene and Charles Alfred Matley
Charles Alfred Matley
Charles Alfred Matley was a British paleontologist and geologist in India, the British West Indies and Wales.He married Sarah A. Loach in Birmingham in 1891....
in 1933 from three partial skulls found by Matley in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
in strata of the Lameta Formation
Lameta Formation
The Lameta Formation is a sedimentary rock formation found in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, India. It is of Maastrichtian age , and is notable for its dinosaur fossils...
. The lectotype
Lectotype
In botanical nomenclature and zoological nomenclature, a lectotype is a kind of name-bearing type. When a species was originally described on the basis of a name-bearing type consisting of multiple specimens, one of those may be designated as the lectotype...
is GSI K27/685.
The generic name is derived from Indos, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
for the Indus and Soukhos, Ancient Greek for the Egyptian crocodile god. The specific name raptorius means "raptorial" in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
.
Phylogeny
Because only some skull elements have been found, Indosuchus placement has been somewhat erratic. Although it's now somewhat firmly placed within the Abelisauridae, it was originally assigned by von Huene to the Allosauridae. Alick WalkerAlick Walker
Alick Donald Walker was a British palaeontologist, after whom the Alwalkeria genus of dinosaur is named....
thought in 1964 it was a member of the Tyrannosauridae
Tyrannosauridae
Tyrannosauridae is a family of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs which comprises two subfamilies containing up to six genera, including the eponymous Tyrannosaurus. The exact number of genera is controversial, with some experts recognizing as few as three...
. The discovery of other abelisaurids like Carnotaurus
Carnotaurus
Carnotaurus was a large predatory dinosaur. Only one species, Carnotaurus sastrei has been described so far.Carnotaurus lived in Patagonia, Argentina during the Campanian or Maastrichtian stage of the Late Cretaceous...
has helped clarify its position; in 1986 José Bonaparte
José Bonaparte
José Fernando Bonaparte, Ph.D. , is an Argentine paleontologist who discovered a plethora of South American dinosaurs and mentored a new generation of Argentine paleontologists like Rodolfo Coria...
concluded it was an abelisaurid.
As the remains are fragmentary it is difficult to assess whether Indosuchus is identical to other poorly known theropods from the Lameta Formation, such as Indosaurus
Indosaurus
Indosaurus is a genus of theropod dinosaur once living in what is now India. It lived approximately 69 million years ago, in the Maastrichtian division of the Late Cretaceous...
. It is therefore today often considered a nomen dubium
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
.