Antarctosuchus

{{Short description|Extinct genus of temnospondyls}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = [[Middle Triassic]],<br />~{{fossil range|246.7|237}}{{period fossil range|Triassic|246.7|237}} | image = Antarctosuchus FMNH.jpg | image_caption = Holotype skull on display at the [[Field Museum of Natural History]]. | taxon = Antarctosuchus | authority = Sidor, Steyer & Hammer, [[2014 in paleontology|2014]] | type_species = {{extinct}}'''''Antarctosuchus polyodon''''' | type_species_authority = Sidor, Steyer & Hammer, 2014 | subdivision_ranks = | subdivision = }}

'''''Antarctosuchus''''' is an [[extinct]] [[genus]] of [[Capitosauroidea|capitosauroid]] [[temnospondyl]] known from the [[Middle Triassic]] upper [[Fremouw Formation]] in the [[Transantarctic Mountains]] of [[Antarctica]]. It contains a single species, '''''Antarctosuchus polyodon'''''.<ref name=Antarctosuchus>{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1080/02724634.2013.808205| title = A new capitosauroid temnospondyl from the Middle Triassic upper Fremouw Formation of Antarctica| journal = Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology| volume = 34| issue = 3| pages = 539| year = 2014| last1 = Sidor | first1 = C. A. | last2 = Steyer | first2 = J. S. B. | last3 = Hammer | first3 = W. R. }}</ref>

[[File:Antarctosuchus (43288383991).jpg|thumb|left|Model of ''Antarctosuchus polyodon'' at the [[Field Museum of Natural History]] in Chicago]]

==Discovery== ''Antarctosuchus'' was named by [[Christian Sidor|Christian A. Sidor]], J. Sébastien Steyer, and [[William R. Hammer]] in [[2014 in paleontology|2014]] and the [[type species]] is ''Antarctosuchus polyodon''. The [[name of a biological genus|generic name]] refers to [[Antarctica]], where the only known specimen was collected, and ''suchus'', a common suffix for [[temnospondyl]]s [[Latin]]ized from the [[Greek language|Greek]] ''souchos'', an Egyptian crocodile god. The [[specific name (zoology)|specific name]], ''polyodon'', is derived from the Greek πολύς (''polús'') "much", "many" and ὀδών (''odon''), "tooth", in reference to its unique [[teeth]] morphology. ''Antarctosuchus'' is known solely from its [[holotype]], a large and relatively complete [[skull]]. It was collected form the upper [[Fremouw Formation]] in the central [[Transantarctic Mountains]] of [[Antarctica]], dating to the [[Middle Triassic]]. To date, ''Antarctosuchus polyodon'' is the only other [[Endemism|endemic]] [[temnospondyl]] species from the formation apart from ''[[Kryostega collinsoni]]'', although indeterminate remains referred to [[Benthosuchus|benthosuchid]]s and a cranial fragment assigned to ''[[Parotosuchus]] sp.'' have also been collected.<ref name=Antarctosuchus/>

==Description== As its specific name suggests, ''Antarctosuchus polyodon'' is distinguished by the possession of numerous, extremely small [[maxilla]]ry, [[Palatine bone|palatine]], and ectopterygoid teeth, a dental pattern that suggests specialization on small prey, possibly [[invertebrate]]s. Other [[autapomorphic]] features of this taxon are a parachoanal tooth row that extends far posterior to the choana and occipital condyles which are set close to the midline. ''Antarctosuchus'' possesses a relatively flat skull, low [[occiput]] and well-developed sensory canals, suggesting an [[Aquatic animal|aquatic lifestyle]]. A [[phylogenetic analysis]] places ''Antarctosuchus'' within [[Capitosauroidea]], a clade of derived Triassic [[stereospondyl]]s as the [[sister taxon]] to ''[[Paracyclotosaurus crookshanki]]'' from the Triassic [[Denwai Formation]] of [[India]].<ref name=Antarctosuchus/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Capitosauria]] [[Category:Triassic temnospondyls of Antarctica]] [[Category:Fossil taxa described in 2014]]