# Phytosaurus

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Phytosaurus
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Phytosaurus.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytosaurus
> Source revision: 1291956007
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Extinct genus of reptiles

Phytosaurus Temporal range: Late Triassic, 220 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Holotype jaw of P. cylindricodon Holotype of P. cubicodon Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: †Phytosauria Family: †Parasuchidae Genus: †Phytosaurus von Jaeger, 1828 Type species †Phytosaurus cylindricodon von Jaeger, 1828 Other species †P. cubicodon von Jaeger, 1828

***Phytosaurus*** (meaning "plant lizard") is a [dubious](/source/Nomen_dubium) genus of [extinct](/source/Extinction) [parasuchid](/source/Parasuchidae) [phytosaur](/source/Phytosaur)[1] found in an outcrop of the [Keuper](/source/Keuper) (likely the [Exter Formation](/source/Exter_Formation))[2] in [Germany](/source/Germany). *Phytosaurus* was the first phytosaur to be described, being done so by [Georg Friedrich von Jaeger](/source/Georg_Friedrich_von_Jaeger) in 1828.[3] The [type species](/source/Type_species) is ***P. cylindricodon*** and a second species, *P. cubicodon*, is also known.[3]

## Discovery and naming

Associated elements from the holotype of *P. cylindricodon*

In 1826, the [holotypes](/source/Holotype) of both species were discovered in [Wurttemburg](/source/W%C3%BCrttemberg), [Germany](/source/Germany) at the "Neckar" site at the base of the hill which [Wildenau Castle](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wildenau_Castle&action=edit&redlink=1) stands upon.[3] The holotype of *P. cylindricodon* consists of parts of the skull and jaws, with natural casts of the teeth which, however, did not preserve their conical form but were flattened which led to the misunderstanding they were specialised in eating plant material,[3] and the holotype of *P. cubicodon* consists of fragments of the jaw.[3] Both species were named and described by von Jaeger (1828)[3] and were first commented on by [von Meyer](/source/Christian_Erich_Hermann_von_Meyer) (1837).[4]

Many later authors, beginning with [Owen](/source/Richard_Owen) (1841), have classified both species of *Phytosaurus* as *[nomen dubia](/source/Nomen_dubium)* due to the lack of known diagnostic material.[1] Owen (1841) had *Phytosaurus* classified as a synonym of *[Mastodonsaurus](/source/Mastodonsaurus)*, an unrelated amphibian, and later *[Labyrinthodon](/source/Labyrinthodontia)*, a now obsolete taxon.[5]

A partial phytosaur specimen found at the "UCMP V6333" locality of the [Dockum Formation](/source/Dockum_Formation) in [Texas](/source/Texas) was initially referred to *Phytosaurus* sp.,[6] but has since been reclassified as an indeterminate [mystriosuchine](/source/Mystriosuchinae) phytosaur.[7]

## Description

*P. cylindricodon* appeared to have cylindrical teeth, while *P. cubicodon* appeared to have teeth that were square in shape.[3][4] The conical teeth of the *P. cylindricodon* holotype appear to show evidence of grinding.[4]

*Phytosaurus* likely grew up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) long and the skull of *P. cylindricodon* likely reached up to 1 metre (3.3 ft) when complete.[7]

## Classification

*Phytosaurus* likely belonged to the [Parasuchidae](/source/Parasuchidae), a family of [phytosaurs](/source/Phytosaur).[8]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Lydekker_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Lydekker_1-1) Lydekker, Richard (1899-01-01). [*Catalogue of the Fossil Reptilia and Amphibia in the British Museum (Natural History). Part 1. Containing the Orders Ornithosauria, Crocodilia, Dinosauria, Squamata, Rhynchocephalia, and Proterosauria*](https://books.google.com/books?id=8wF_tAYCQf0C&q=Phytosaurus&pg=PA124). Elibron.com. p. 124. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-543-95654-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-543-95654-5). {{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#invalid_isbn_date))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [H. v. Meyer](/source/Hermann_von_Meyer) and T. Plieninger. (1844). Beiträge zur Paläontologie Württemberg’s, enthaltend die Fossilen Wirbelthierreste aus den Triasgebilden mit Besonderer Rücksicht auf die Labyrinthodonten des Keupers [Contributions to the Paleontology of Württemberg, Including the Fossil Vertebrate Remains from the Triassic Formations with Special Regard to the Labyrinthodonts of the Keupers] 1-132

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Jaeger1828_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Jaeger1828_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Jaeger1828_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Jaeger1828_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Jaeger1828_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Jaeger1828_3-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Jaeger1828_3-6) G. F. Jaeger. (1828). Über die Fossile Reptilien, Welche in Württemberg Aufgefunden Sind [On the Fossil Reptiles That Are Found in Württemberg]. *Verlag der Metzler'schen Buchhandlung, Stuttgart* 1-48

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_4-2) von Meyer, H. (1837) “On the Structure of Fossil Saurians.”

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** *In the Shadow of the Dinosaurs: Early Mesozoic Tetrapods* by [Nicholas C. Fraser](/source/Nicholas_Fraser) and [Hans-Dieter Sues](/source/Hans-Dieter_Sues)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** U.C.M.P. Database. (2005). UCMP collections database. *University of California Museum of Paleontology*

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Phytosaur13_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Phytosaur13_7-1) Stocker, Michelle R.; Butler, Richard J. (2013). ["Phytosauria"](https://dx.doi.org/10.1144/sp379.5). *Geological Society, London, Special Publications*. **379** (1): 91–117. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2013GSLSP.379...91S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013GSLSP.379...91S). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1144/sp379.5](https://doi.org/10.1144%2Fsp379.5). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0305-8719](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0305-8719). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [219192243](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:219192243).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Kammerer, Christian F.; Butler, Richard J.; Bandyopadhyay, Saswati; Stocker, Michelle R. (2016). Angielczyk, Kenneth (ed.). ["Relationships of the Indian phytosaur Parasuchus hislopi Lydekker, 1885"](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/spp2.1022). *Papers in Palaeontology*. **2** (1): 1–23. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1002/spp2.1022](https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fspp2.1022). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [83780331](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:83780331).

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 Phytosaurus Wikidata: Q2101575 GBIF: 4817567 IRMNG: 1369124 Paleobiology Database: 100591

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