Vytshegdosuchus
Encyclopedia
Vytshegdosuchus is a genus
of rauisuchid
archosaur
. It is known from fossil bones discovered from three localities along the Vychegda River
in the Komi Republic
of the European section of Russia
. These fossils were found in rocks of the upper Yarenskian Gorizont, dating to the late Olenekian
stage of the Early Triassic
. Vytshegdosuchus was named by Andreii Sennikov in 1988, and is based on
PIN 3361/134, a right ilium
. The type species
is V. zheshartensis. Other material assigned to Vytshegdosuchus includes skull fragments, a neck vertebra, fragments of thigh bones
, and other postcranial bones.
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 rauisuchid
Rauisuchidae
Rauisuchidae is a group of large predatory Triassic archosaurs, and constitute advanced representatives of the larger group Rauisuchia. There is some disagreement over which genera should be included in the Prestosuchidae, which in Rauisuchidae, and which in the Poposauridae, and indeed whether...
archosaur
Archosaur
Archosaurs are a group of diapsid amniotes whose living representatives consist of modern birds and crocodilians. This group also includes all extinct non-avian dinosaurs, many extinct crocodilian relatives, and pterosaurs. Archosauria, the archosaur clade, is a crown group that includes the most...
. It is known from fossil bones discovered from three localities along the Vychegda River
Vychegda River
Vychegda is a river in the European part of Russia, tributary to the Northern Dvina. Its length is about . Its source is approximately west of the northern Ural Mountains. It flows roughly in western direction, through Komi Republic and Arkhangelsk Oblast. The largest city along the Vychegda is...
in the Komi Republic
Komi Republic
The Komi Republic is a federal subject of Russia .-Geography:The republic is situated to the west of the Ural mountains, in the north-east of the East European Plain...
of the European section of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. These fossils were found in rocks of the upper Yarenskian Gorizont, dating to the late Olenekian
Olenekian
In the geologic timescale, the Olenekian is an age in the Early Triassic epoch or a stage in the Lower Triassic series. It spans the time between 249.7 ± 0.7 Ma and 245 ± 0.7 Ma . The Olenekian follows the Induan and is followed by the Anisian.The Olenekian saw the deposition of a large part of the...
stage of the Early Triassic
Early Triassic
The Early Triassic is the first of three epochs of the Triassic period of the geologic timescale. It spans the time between 251 ± 0.4 Ma and 245 ± 1.5 Ma . Rocks from this epoch are collectively known as the Lower Triassic, which is a unit in chronostratigraphy...
. Vytshegdosuchus was named by Andreii Sennikov in 1988, and is based on
Holotype
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...
PIN 3361/134, a right ilium
Ilium (bone)
The ilium is the uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis, and appears in most vertebrates including mammals and birds, but not bony fish. All reptiles have an ilium except snakes, although some snake species have a tiny bone which is considered to be an ilium.The name comes from the Latin ,...
. 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 V. zheshartensis. Other material assigned to Vytshegdosuchus includes skull fragments, a neck vertebra, fragments of thigh bones
Femur
The femur , or thigh bone, is the most proximal bone of the leg in tetrapod vertebrates capable of walking or jumping, such as most land mammals, birds, many reptiles such as lizards, and amphibians such as frogs. In vertebrates with four legs such as dogs and horses, the femur is found only in...
, and other postcranial bones.