# Aetosauroides

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Aetosauroides
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Aetosauroides.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aetosauroides
> Source revision: 1351325098
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Extinct genus of reptiles

Aetosauroides Temporal range: Late Triassic ~231.4–225.9 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Skull of A. scagliai Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Clade: Pseudosuchia Order: †Aetosauria Genus: †Aetosauroides Casamiquela, 1960 Type species †Aetosauroides scagliai Casamiquela, 1960 Synonyms A. subsulcatus Zacarias, 1982 A. inhamandensis Barberena et al., 1985 Polesinesuchus aurelioi? Roberto-da-Silva et al., 2014

***Aetosauroides*** (meaning "*[Aetosaurus](/source/Aetosaurus)*-like") is an [extinct](/source/Extinct) [genus](/source/Genus) of [aetosaur](/source/Aetosaur) from the [Late Triassic](/source/Late_Triassic) of [South America](/source/South_America). It is one of four aetosaurs known from South America, the others being *[Neoaetosauroides](/source/Neoaetosauroides)*, *[Chilenosuchus](/source/Chilenosuchus)* and *[Aetobarbakinoides](/source/Aetobarbakinoides)*. Three [species](/source/Species) have been named: the [type species](/source/Type_species) *A. scagliai*, *A. subsulcatus*, and *A. inhamandensis*. [Fossils](/source/Fossil) have been found in the Cancha de Bochas Member of the [Ischigualasto Formation](/source/Ischigualasto_Formation) in the [Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin](/source/Ischigualasto-Villa_Uni%C3%B3n_Basin) in northwestern [Argentina](/source/Argentina) and the [Santa Maria Formation](/source/Santa_Maria_Formation) in the [Paraná Basin](/source/Paran%C3%A1_Basin) in southeastern [Brazil](/source/Brazil). The strata date to the late [Carnian](/source/Carnian) and early [Norian](/source/Norian) stages, making *Aetosauroides* one of the oldest aetosaurs.[1]

## Description

Restoration of *A. scagliai*

Most individuals of *Aetosauroides* measured around 1.3 metres (4 ft 3 in) in length, with one large individual reaching 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) (with [histology](/source/Histology) suggesting an age of 23 years). [Sexual maturity](/source/Sexual_maturity) was probably reached at 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) in length, although these individuals were not yet fully grown.[2] [Sexual dimorphism](/source/Sexual_dimorphism) has been suggested for *Aetosauroides*, with males reaching the 2-metre (6 ft 7 in) size range.[3] The [premaxilla's](/source/Premaxilla) shovel-shaped tip in *A. scagliai* lacked the same prominence as the lateral expansion found in desmatosuchines.[4]

Skeletal diagram of the holotype of *Polesinesuchus aureloi*, a possible synonym of *Aetosauroides scagliai*

*Aetosauroides* was proposed to be [synonymous](/source/Synonym_(taxonomy)) with the genus *[Stagonolepis](/source/Stagonolepis)* in 1996 and 2002.[5][6] Smaller [specimens](/source/Biological_specimen) of both species were placed with *Stagonolepis robertsoni*, and larger specimens were considered to be *S. wellesi*. This synonymy is not accepted,[1][7][8][9] with several studies identifying unique features that distinguish *Aetosauroides* from *Stagonolepis*. Among these are [maxillae](/source/Maxilla) that do not touch the nostrils, oval-shaped holes on the [centra](/source/Body_of_vertebra) of the [vertebrae](/source/Vertebra), and a convex margin of the lower jaw. In a 2011 study, *A. subsulcatus* and *A. inhamandensis* were proposed to be synonymous with *A. scagliai*.[9] Additionally, a contemporary aetosaur named from a juvenile specimen in 2014, *[Polesinesuchus aurelioi](/source/Polesinesuchus)*, was found to be similar in its vertebrae and the basioccipital of its braincase to juvenile specimens of *Aetosauroides* in two 2021 studies, and it was proposed as a junior synonym of the latter.[2][10]

## Classification

A [phylogenetic](/source/Phylogenetic) analysis presented by Julia B. Desojo, Martin D. Ezcurra and Edio E. Kischlat in 2012 found that *Aetosauroides* lies outside Stagonolepididae. If this phylogeny is correct, [Stagonolepididae](/source/Stagonolepididae) and [Aetosauria](/source/Aetosauria) would not be equivalent groupings, and *Aetosauroides* would be the first non-stagonolepidid aetosaur.[1]

## Palaeobiology

### Palaeoecology

Although *A. scagliai* had recurved ziphodont [teeth](/source/Tooth) typical of [carnivores](/source/Carnivore), its shovel-shaped [snout](/source/Snout) and its edentulous anterior [premaxilla](/source/Premaxilla) and [dentary](/source/Mandible) suggest that it was [omnivorous](/source/Omnivore).[11]

### Palaeopathology

A [palaeopathological](/source/Paleopathology) [specimen](/source/Biological_specimen) of *A. scagliai* has been found, consisting of a distal fragment of a [fibula](/source/Fibula) containing radial fibrolamellar bone indicative of [periostitis](/source/Periostitis). This palaeopathology is believed to have been caused by some sort of non-traumatic stress followed by a [pyogenic infection](/source/Pus).[12]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Aetobarbakinoides_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Aetobarbakinoides_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Aetobarbakinoides_1-2) Julia B. Desojo, Martin D. Ezcurra and Edio E. Kischlat (2012). ["A new aetosaur genus (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) from the early Late Triassic of southern Brazil"](http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2012/f/z03166p033f.pdf) (PDF). *Zootaxa*. **3166**: 1–33. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.11646/zootaxa.3166.1.1](https://doi.org/10.11646%2Fzootaxa.3166.1.1). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1175-5326](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1175-5326).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-paesneto2021axial_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-paesneto2021axial_2-1) Paes-Neto, V.D.; Desojo, J.B.; Brust, A.C.B.; Schultz, C.L.; Da-Rosa, A.A.S.; Soares, M.B. (2021). "Intraspecific variation in the axial skeleton of *Aetosauroides scagliai* (Archosauria: Aetosauria) and its implications for the aetosaur diversity of the Late Triassic of Brazil". *[Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences](/source/Annals_of_the_Brazilian_Academy_of_Sciences)*. **93** (supp. 2) e20201239. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1590/0001-3765202120201239](https://doi.org/10.1590%2F0001-3765202120201239). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[11336/150258](https://hdl.handle.net/11336%2F150258). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [34468486](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34468486). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [237372648](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:237372648).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-taborta2015_3-0)** Tabora, J.R.A.; Heckert, A.B.; Desojo, J.B. (2015). "Intraspecific variation in *Aetosauroides* Casamiquela (Archosauria: Aetosauria) from the Upper Triassic of Argentina and Brazil: an example of sexual dimorphism?". *Ameghiniana*. **52** (2): 173–187. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.5710/AMGH.05.01.2015.2824](https://doi.org/10.5710%2FAMGH.05.01.2015.2824). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [11498039](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:11498039).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Biacchi Brust, Ana Carolina; Desojo, Julia Brenda; Schultz, Cesar Leandro; Paes-Neto, Voltaire Dutra; Da-Rosa, Átila Augusto Stock (15 August 2018). Smith, Thierry (ed.). ["Osteology of the first skull of Aetosauroides scagliai Casamiquela 1960 (Archosauria: Aetosauria) from the Upper Triassic of southern Brazil (Hyperodapedon Assemblage Zone) and its phylogenetic importance"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6093665). *[PLOS ONE](/source/PLOS_ONE)*. **13** (8) e0201450. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2018PLoSO..1301450B](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2018PLoSO..1301450B). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1371/journal.pone.0201450](https://doi.org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0201450). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1932-6203](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1932-6203). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [6093665](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6093665). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [30110362](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30110362).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LH96_5-0)** Lucas, S.G.; Heckert, A.B. (1996). ["Late Triassic aetosaur biochronology"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131113115918/http://work.geobiology.cn/ebook/ALBERTIANA%20NO.17/12%20Late%20Triassic%20aetosaur%20biochronology.pdf) (PDF). *Albertiana*. **17**: 57–64. Archived from [the original](http://work.geobiology.cn/ebook/ALBERTIANA%20NO.17/12%20Late%20Triassic%20aetosaur%20biochronology.pdf) (PDF) on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 2011-05-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HL02_6-0)** Heckert, A.B.; Lucas, S.G. (2002). "South American occurrences of the Adamanian (Late Triassic: latest Carnian) index taxon *Stagonolepis* (Archosauria: Aetosauria) and their biochronological significance". *[Journal of Paleontology](/source/Journal_of_Paleontology)*. **76** (5): 852–863. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1666/0022-3360(2002)076<0852:SAOOTA>2.0.CO;2](https://doi.org/10.1666%2F0022-3360%282002%29076%3C0852%3ASAOOTA%3E2.0.CO%3B2). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [128610620](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:128610620).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Heliocanthus_7-0)** Parker, William G. (2007). ["Reassessment of the Aetosaur *"Desmatosuchus" chamaensis* with a reanalysis of the phylogeny of the Aetosauria (Archosauria:Pseudosuchia)"](http://www.miketaylor.org.uk/dino/nm/Parker2007-Heliocanthus.pdf) (PDF). *[Journal of Systematic Palaeontology](/source/Journal_of_Systematic_Palaeontology)*. **5** (1): 41–68. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2007JSPal...5...41P](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007JSPal...5...41P). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/S1477201906001994](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS1477201906001994). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [85826683](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:85826683).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-PSI08_8-0)** Parker, W. G.; Stocker, M. R.; Irmis, R. B. (2008). "A new desmatosuchine aetosaur (Archosauria; Suchia) from the Upper Triassic Tecovas Formation (Dockum Group) of Texas". *[Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology](/source/Journal_of_Vertebrate_Paleontology)*. **28** (2): 692–701. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1671/0272-4634(2008)28\[692:ANDAAS\]2.0.CO;2](https://doi.org/10.1671%2F0272-4634%282008%2928%5B692%3AANDAAS%5D2.0.CO%3B2). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0272-4634](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0272-4634). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [84455880](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:84455880).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-DE11_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-DE11_9-1) Desojo, J.B.; Ezcurra, M.D. (2011). "A reappraisal of the taxonomic status of *Aetosauroides* (Archosauria, Aetosauria) specimens from the Late Triassic of South America and their proposed synonymy with *Stagonolepis*". *[Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology](/source/Journal_of_Vertebrate_Paleontology)*. **31** (3): 596–609. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2011JVPal..31..596D](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011JVPal..31..596D). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/02724634.2011.572936](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F02724634.2011.572936). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [85418778](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:85418778).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-paesneto2021bc_10-0)** Paes-Neto, V.D.; Desojo, J.B.; Brust, A.C.B.; Ribeiro, A.M.; Schultz, C.L.; Soares, M.B. (2021). "The first braincase of the basal aetosaur *Aetosauroides scagliai* (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) from the Upper Triassic of Brazil". *[Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology](/source/Journal_of_Vertebrate_Paleontology)*. **41** (2) e1928681. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2021JVPal..41E8681P](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021JVPal..41E8681P). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/02724634.2021.1928681](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F02724634.2021.1928681). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [237518035](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:237518035).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Paes Neto, Voltaire Dutra; Desojo, Julia Brenda; Brust, Ana Carolina Biacchi; Ribeiro, Ana Maria; Schultz, Cesar Leandro; Soares, Marina Bento (2021). ["Skull osteology of Aetosauroides scagliai Casamiquela, 1960 (Archosauria: Aetosauria) from the Late Triassic of Brazil: New insights into the paleobiology of aetosaurs"](https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2021/3463-aetosauroides-skull). *[Palaeontologia Electronica](/source/Palaeontologia_Electronica)*. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.26879/1120](https://doi.org/10.26879%2F1120). Retrieved 21 October 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Ponce, Denis; Cerda, Ignacio; Desojo, Julia (2024). ["First record of palaeopathologies on appendicular bones of the Triassic pseudosuchians Erpetosuchidae and Aetosauria based on microstructural approaches"](https://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app011412024.html). *[Acta Palaeontologica Polonica](/source/Acta_Palaeontologica_Polonica)*. **69**. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.4202/app.01141.2024](https://doi.org/10.4202%2Fapp.01141.2024). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[11336/249317](https://hdl.handle.net/11336%2F249317). Retrieved 12 April 2025.

v t e Aetosauria Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Clade: Pseudosuchia Clade: Aetosauriformes Pseudosuchia see Pseudosuchia Aetosauria see below↓ Aetosauria †Aetosauria Aetosauroides Stagonolepididae Aetosaurinae Aetosaurus Coahomasuchus? Stenomyti? Typothoracinae? Apachesuchus Chilenosuchus? Gorgetosuchus? Kryphioparma Redondasuchus Typothorax Paratypothoracini Garzapelta? Kocurypelta Kuttysuchus Paratypothorax Rioarribasuchus Tecovasuchus Venkatasuchus Desmatosuchia Stagonolepidinae? Polesinesuchus Stagonolepis Desmatosuchinae sensu lato Adamanasuchus? Aetobarbakinoides? Calyptosuchus? Chilenosuchus? Neoaetosauroides? Olkasuchus Scutarx? Desmatosuchini (Desmatosuchinae sensu stricto) Desmatosuchus Gorgetosuchus? Longosuchus Lucasuchus Sierritasuchus Category

[Portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
- [Paleontology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Paleontology)

Taxon identifiers Aetosauroides Wikidata: Q4688774 GBIF: 4578487 IRMNG: 1184702 Open Tree of Life: 4128037 Paleobiology Database: 38272

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Aetosauroides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aetosauroides) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aetosauroides?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.