# Neoaetosauroides

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Extinct genus of reptiles

Neoaetosauroides Temporal range: Norian Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Clade: Pseudosuchia Order: †Aetosauria Family: †Stagonolepididae Genus: †Neoaetosauroides Bonaparte 1969 Species †N. engaeus Bonaparte 1969 (type)

***Neoaetosauroides*** is an extinct [genus](/source/Genus) of primitive [aetosaur](/source/Aetosaur). Its [type](/source/Type_species) and only [species](/source/Species) is *N. engaeus*. [Fossils](/source/Fossil) have been found in [Los Colorados Formation](/source/Los_Colorados_Formation) outcropping along the Sierra Morada River in the [Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin](/source/Ischigualasto-Villa_Uni%C3%B3n_Basin) in [La Rioja](/source/La_Rioja_Province%2C_Argentina), [Argentina](/source/Argentina), and date back to the [Norian](/source/Norian) age of the [Late Triassic](/source/Late_Triassic). It was the first aetosaur known from the formation, with remains being discovered in the 1960s.[1][2][3]

## Description

Diagram showing *Neoaetosauroides* osteoderms with labeled terminology

The genus is one of the most well represented aetosaurs from [South America](/source/South_America), with some specimens being fully articulated. Two rows of dorsal [osteoderms](/source/Osteoderms) run paramedially along either side of the spine. Ventral osteoderms were also present. Unlike most other aetosaurs, the fourth finger was longer than the second and third. Additionally, the number of phalanges in the fifth digit was lower than other aetosaurs.[4] The upper tooth row of *Neoaetosauroides* runs anteriorly to the tip of the elongated snout, evidence that is incompatible with the theory of a [keratinous](/source/Keratin) beak proposed for other aetosaurs.[5]

## Paleobiology

[Biomechanical](/source/Biomechanics) studies and muscle reconstructions of the skull of *Neoaetosauroides* have shown that it likely had a diet which diverged greatly from most other aetosaurs. While most aetosaurs had very strong jaw muscles which were nevertheless incapable of snapping shut quickly, *Neoaetosauroides* had somewhat weaker yet faster jaws. Quick jaw movement is sometimes utilized by [herbivores](/source/Herbivore) for cropping plant material, but is more commonly associated with [carnivory](/source/Carnivore), as it allows small animals to be caught more easily. While *Neoaetosauroides* lacks the large, fang-like teeth present in specialized carnivorous reptiles, it also lacks many traits consistent with herbivory, such as a beak or dental wear facets. It was therefore proposed that *Neoaetosauroides* may have had a generalized diet of soft-bodied colonial [insects](/source/Insect), supplemented by small [vertebrates](/source/Vertebrate). This diet is similar to that of modern [armadillos](/source/Armadillo) and [pangolins](/source/Pangolin), which also have a similar body shape to *Neoaetosauroides.*[6]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Bonaparte, J. F. (1969). Los tetrápodos triásicos de Argentina. *1º International Symposium of Gondwana* (Mar del Plata, 1967):307-325.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Bonaparte, J. F. (1971). Los tetrápodos del sector superior de la Formación Los Colorados, La Rioja, Argentina (Triásico Superior). *Opera Lilloana* **22**:87-102.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Bonaparte, J. F. (1978). El Mesozoico de América del Sur y sus tetrápodos. *Opera Lilloana*, **26**, 596 pp.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Desojo, J. B. and Báez, A. M. (2005). El esqueleto postcraneano de *Neoaetosauroides* (Archosauria: Aetosauria) del Triásico Superior del centro-oeste de Argentina. *Ameghiniana* **42**(1):115-126.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Desojo, J. B. and Báez, A. M. (2007). Cranial morphology of the Late Triassic South American archosaur *Neoaetosauroides engaeus*: evidence for aetosaurian diversity. *Palaeontology* **50**(1):267-276.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Desojo, Julia Brenda; Vizcaíno, Sergio Fabián (2009-07-16). ["Jaw biomechanics in the South American aetosaur Neoaetosauroides engaeus"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225881636). *Paläontologische Zeitschrift*. **83** (4): 499–510. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2009PalZ...83..499D](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009PalZ...83..499D). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/s12542-009-0032-6](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs12542-009-0032-6). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[11336/97118](https://hdl.handle.net/11336%2F97118). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0031-0220](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0031-0220). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [86520329](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:86520329).

## External links

- [*Neoaetosauroides*](https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=38274) in the [Paleobiology Database](/source/Paleobiology_Database)

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 Neoaetosauroides Wikidata: Q1216903 GBIF: 4967771 Open Tree of Life: 4128039 Paleobiology Database: 38274

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