# Rileyasuchus

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Genus of reptiles

For the Hymenopteran genus, see [Rileya](/source/Rileya).

Rileyasuchus Temporal range: Late Triassic, Rhaetian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: †Phytosauria Genus: †Rileyasuchus Kuhn, 1961 Species: †R. bristolensis Binomial name †Rileyasuchus bristolensis (von Huene, 1902) Synonyms Rileya bristolensis von Huene, 1902 (preoccupied)

***Rileyasuchus*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of [phytosaur](/source/Phytosaur) from the [Rhaetian](/source/Rhaetian) ([Late Triassic](/source/Late_Triassic)) [Magnesian Conglomerate](/source/Magnesian_Conglomerate) of [England](/source/England). It has a confusing history, being associated with the taxonomy of *[Palaeosaurus](/source/Palaeosaurus)* and *[Thecodontosaurus](/source/Thecodontosaurus)*, and being a replacement name for a preoccupied genus (*[Rileya](/source/Rileya)*, which had already been used by Ashmead, and Howard both in 1888 for a [hymenopteran](/source/Hymenopteran)).[1][2]

## History and taxonomy

In 1902, [Friedrich von Huene](/source/Friedrich_von_Huene) named the new genus for two [vertebrae](/source/Vertebra) and a [humerus](/source/Humerus) from deposits in [Bristol](/source/Bristol).[3] He had recognized it as a phytosaur by 1908 (by which point a few *Palaeosaurus* species had been added to the genus).[4]

It seems to have sat unrecognized for most of the 20th century, except for 1961 when [Oskar Kuhn](/source/Oskar_Kuhn) renamed it from *Rileya* to *Rileyasuchus*.[5] [Adrian Hunt](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adrian_Hunt&action=edit&redlink=1) in 1994 (doctoral dissertation) first suggested that it was a [herrerasaurid](/source/Herrerasauridae), although this was never published.[6] Benton *et al.* (2000) indicated that the [type specimen](/source/Holotype) was actually a [chimera](/source/Chimera_(paleontology)) composed of a phytosaur humerus and *[Thecodontosaurus](/source/Thecodontosaurus)* vertebrae.[7] It is best regarded as a *[nomen dubium](/source/Nomen_dubium)*.

*Rileya* was named after [palaeontologist](/source/Palaeontologist) and [surgeon](/source/Surgeon) [Henry Riley](/source/Henry_Riley_(scientist)) who helped to discover the first known fossils in [Bristol](/source/Bristol) in 1834.

## Paleobiology

As a phytosaur, it would have been a semi-[aquatic](/source/Aquatic_animal) [crocodile](/source/Crocodile)-like [predator](/source/Predator).

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LOH88_1-0)** Howard, L.O. (1888). The chalcid genus *Rileya*. Canadian Entomology 20:191-195.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WHA88_2-0)** Ashmead, W.H. (1888). A revised generic table of the Euryrtominae, with descriptions of new species. Pt I. Entomol. Am. 4:41-43.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FVH02_3-0)** von Huene, F. (1902). Überischt über die Reptilien der Trias. *Geologische und Paläontologie Abhandlungen, Neu Folge* 8:97-156. [German]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FVH08_4-0)** von Huene, F. (1908). On phytosaurian remains from the Magnesian Conglomerate of Bristol (*Rileya platyodon*). *Annals and Magazine of Natural History*, series 8 1:228-230.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-OK61_5-0)** Kuhn, O. (1961). *Die Familien der rezenten und fossilen Amphibien und Reptilien.* Meisenbach:Bamberg, 79 p.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-APH94_6-0)** Hunt, A.P. (1994). Unpublished doctoral dissertation, [discussed here](http://dml.cmnh.org/2000Feb/msg00297.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20061017170227/http://dml.cmnh.org/2000Feb/msg00297.html) 2006-10-17 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-BJSG00_7-0)** Benton, M.J, Juul, L., Storrs, G.W., and Galton, P.M. (2000). Anatomy and systematics of the prosauropod dinosaur *Thecodontosaurus antiquus* from the upper Triassic of southwest England. *Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology* 20(1):77-108.

## External links

- [*Rileyasuchus* as herrerasaurid](http://dml.cmnh.org/2000Feb/msg00297.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20061017170227/http://dml.cmnh.org/2000Feb/msg00297.html) 2006-10-17 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

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 Rileyasuchus Wikidata: Q15378969 GBIF: 9287151

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