# Brachysuchus

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Extinct genus of reptiles

Not to be confused with [Bathysuchus](/source/Bathysuchus) or [Brachiosuchus](/source/Brachiosuchus).

Brachysuchus Temporal range: Late Triassic, 228–209 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Skull of Brachysuchus megalodon in the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: †Phytosauria Family: †Parasuchidae Subfamily: †Mystriosuchinae Genus: †Brachysuchus Case, 1929 Type species †Brachysuchus megalodon Case, 1929

***Brachysuchus*** (from [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) [βραχύς](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%CE%B2%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%87%CF%8D%CF%82) (*brakhús*), meaning "short", and [Σοῦχος](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%CE%A3%CE%BF%E1%BF%A6%CF%87%CE%BF%CF%82) (*Soûkhos*), meaning "[Sobek](/source/Sobek)") is an [extinct](/source/Extinct) [genus](/source/Genus) of [parasuchid](/source/Parasuchid) [phytosaurs](/source/Phytosaur) known from the late [Triassic](/source/Triassic) [period](/source/Period_(geology)) ([Carnian](/source/Carnian) stage) of [Dockum Group](/source/Dockum_Group) in [Texas](/source/Texas), United States. It is known from the [holotype](/source/Holotype) [UMMP](/source/University_of_Michigan_Museum_of_Natural_History) 10336[1] is composed of a [skull](/source/Skull), lower [jaws](/source/Jaw) and partial [postcranium](/source/Postcranium) and from the associated paratype UMMP 14366, nearly complete skull, recovered from the 'Pre-Tecovas Horizon' in the [Dockum Group](/source/Dockum_Group).[2][3] It was first named by Case in [1929](/source/1929_in_paleontology) and the [type species](/source/Type_species) is *Brachysuchus megalodon*. Its closest relative was *[Angistorhinus](/source/Angistorhinus)*.[3] However, its rostral crest was much smaller than that of *Angistorhinus,* and the [rostrum](/source/Rostrum_(anatomy)) as a whole is shorter and thicker.

## Features

The [lower jaws](/source/Mandible) of *Brachysuchus* are expanded at the tip to form a large bulge, holding the creature's largest [tusks.](/source/Tusk) The surface of this part of the [bone](/source/Bone) has a wrinkled look, with many [blood vessels](/source/Blood_vessel) running through it. In the lower jaw, there are three tusks in each side of this protuberance. Behind this part the jaws have fused together for a little under half their length before diverging after thirty-one of forty-six post-protuberance [teeth.](/source/Tooth) While some of the tusks at the tip are missing, most of the rest of the teeth in the jaw are still present. There are new tusks forming in the [sockets](/source/Dental_alveolus), indicating that *Brachysuchus* [regrew teeth](/source/Polyphyodont) all its life. There is a large [foramen](/source/Foramen) between the [dentary](/source/Mandible), the [angular](/source/Angular_bone) and the prearticular that passes right through the jaw (visible on the picture).[4]

The teeth themselves are [asymmetrical](/source/Asymmetry) in [cross-section](/source/Cross_section_(geometry)), with the outer side more [convex](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/convex) than the inner side. This asymmetry increases from front to back. They are long and conical, and those from the ninth to twenty-ninth have [flutings](/source/Fluting_(architecture)) on the sides. From the thirtieth to the forty-ninth, they have no flutings but are [crenulated](/source/Crenulate) and broaden antero-posteriorly. This suggests that these teeth were better for slicing [prey](/source/Predation) than the previous tusks and conical teeth, which would have impaled and injured it. In parts of the jaws the fused section in the middle rises so high that the teeth could only grip prey and could probably have done little damage.[4]

The prearticular is fused with the [articular](/source/Articular_bone).[4]

The skull is around 125 cm long, with a distinctive hooked tip. It is much shorter and broader than that of many phytosaurs such as *[Leptosuchus](/source/Leptosuchus)* or *Angistorhinus*. The [eye sockets](/source/Orbit_(anatomy)) are narrow and long, and the [fenestrae](/source/Skull) are smaller and less rounded than *Angistorhinus.* It has a comparatively small rostral crest. There are several rough surfaces at the posterior end denoting probable [muscle attachments](/source/Muscle), which show that it had very powerful jaw muscles and a strong bite.[4][5]

Overall *Brachysuchus* was approximately eight metres long, much bigger than most contemporary phytosaurs. It had extremely heavy jaws and a relatively short fused region, giving it a wider bite. There is also evidence of heavily developed jaw muscles. This, as well as the cutting teeth mentioned earlier, indicates that *Brachysuchus* preyed on different animals to its thinner-jawed relatives. Instead of using its jaws to catch [fish](/source/Fish), it was able to attack and feed off the heavily [armoured](/source/Armour_(anatomy)) [stegocephalians](/source/Stegocephalia) that roamed the surrounding area, and would probably have eaten other phytosaurs if food was scarce. The slightly deformed tip of one specimen's lower jaw suggests that it used a lot of force to break through its prey's armour.[4]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["UMMP VP 10336"](https://umorf.ummp.lsa.umich.edu/wp/specimen-data/?Model_ID=1368). *University of Michigan Online Repository of Fossils*. University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology. Retrieved 16 July 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Case1929_2-0)** Case, E. C. (1929). "Description of the skull of a new form of phytosaur with notes on the characters of described North American phytosaurs". *Memoirs of the University of Michigan Museums, Museum of Paleontology*. **2**: 1–56.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Stocker2010_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Stocker2010_3-1) Michelle R. Stocker (2010). ["A new taxon of phytosaur (Archosauria: Pseudosuchia) from the Late Triassic (Norian) Sonsela Member (Chinle Formation) in Arizona, and a critical reevaluation of *Leptosuchus* Case, 1922"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1475-4983.2010.00983.x). *Palaeontology*. **53** (5): 997–1022. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1475-4983.2010.00983.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1475-4983.2010.00983.x). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [83536253](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:83536253).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_4-4) ["Google Scholar"](https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?hl=en&publication_year=1930&pages=155-161&author=E.+C.+Case&title=On+the+lower+jaw+of+Brachysuchus+megalodon.). *scholar.google.com*. Retrieved 2018-05-13.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Palaeos Vertebrates: Archosauria: Phytosauridae"](http://palaeos.com/vertebrates/archosauria/parasuchia2.html). *palaeos.com*. Retrieved 2018-05-13.

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v t e Phytosauria Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Clade: Archosauromorpha Clade: Crurotarsi Sauropsida see Sauropsida Archosauromorpha see Archosauromorpha Phytosauria see below↓ Phytosauria Phytosauria Calamosuchus Diandongosuchus Heteropelta? Parasuchidae Arganarhinus Ebrachosuchus Paleorhinus Parasuchus Wannia Mystriosuchinae / Phytosauridae Angistorhinus Brachysuchus Colossosuchus Jupijkam Protome Rutiodon Volcanosuchus Leptosuchomorpha Leptosuchus Pravusuchus Smilosuchus Mystriosuchini Angistorhinopsis Machaeroprosopus Mystriosuchus Nicrosaurus Redondasaurus Nomina dubia Belodon Centemodon Clepsysaurus? Coburgosuchus Compsosaurus Francosuchus Heterodontosuchus Mesorhinosuchus Omosaurus? Palaeoctonus? Phytosaurus Rileyasuchus Suchoprion Termatosaurus? Category

Taxon identifiers Brachysuchus Wikidata: Q4953588 EoL: 20364204 GBIF: 4823032 IRMNG: 1447440 Open Tree of Life: 4128870 Paleobiology Database: 159228

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