# Warrenisuchus

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Extinct genus of temnospondyls

Warrenisuchus Temporal range: Early Triassic, Induan PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Skulls at various ontogenic stages Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Tetrapoda Order: †Temnospondyli Suborder: †Stereospondyli Clade: †Capitosauria Genus: †Warrenisuchus Maganuco et al., 2009 Type species †Warrenisuchus aliciae (Warren and Hutchinson, 1988) (originally Parotosuchus aliciae)

***Warrenisuchus*** is an extinct [genus](/source/Genus) of [temnospondyl](/source/Temnospondyl) from the [Early Triassic](/source/Early_Triassic) of Queensland, Australia. It belongs to a diverse group of Triassic temnospondyls called [Capitosauria](/source/Capitosauria). The [type species](/source/Type_species) ***Warrenisuchus aliciae*** was erected in 2009. *W. aliciae* was originally described as a species of *[Parotosuchus](/source/Parotosuchus)* in 1988, which is known from other species that have been found in Europe, Africa, and Antarctica.[1] In 2000 it was then assigned to a new genus called *Rewanobatrachus* along with the newly named species *R. gunganj*, which was declared the [type species](/source/Type_species) of the genus. However, *R. gunganj* was later reclassified as a species of *[Watsonisuchus](/source/Watsonisuchus)*, invalidating the name *Rewanobatrachus* and requiring that *R. aliciae* be placed in its own genus, which was named *Warrenisuchus*.[2] However, several studies suggest that *Warrenisuchus aliciae* may be a species of *Watsonisuchus* as well. Unlike most capitosaurs, *Warrenisuchus* is known from many juvenile skulls less than 4 centimetres (1.6 in) in length.[3]

## Description

Holotype skull

*Warrenisuchus* is known from several fossil specimens. The [holotype](/source/Holotype) skeleton preserves most of the skull and lower jaws, the [pectoral girdle](/source/Pectoral_girdle), the forward-most vertebrae and ribs, and the right hind limb and the [paratype](/source/Paratype) specimen includes a partial skull and pectoral girdle. All known specimens of *Warrenisuchus* are very small; the largest skull is only 3.9 centimetres (1.5 in) long and the smallest is 1.1 centimetres (0.43 in) long[3] (adult capitosaurs can have skulls over a meter in length).[4] They show many characteristics of juvenile individuals such as large eye sockets, rounded heads (adult capitosaurs typically have triangular heads), loose joints between skull bones, small [tabular horns](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tabular_horn&action=edit&redlink=1), and [pineal foramina](/source/Pineal_gland) close to the back of the eye sockets (as opposed to farther back on the [skull table](/source/Skull_table)). The smallest specimens seem to represent the stage of development immediately after [metamorphosis](/source/Metamorphosis) when [gills](/source/Gill) have been lost and the skull bones have thickened but the vertebrae remain poorly developed.[3]

## Classification

### Phylogeny

Below is a [cladogram](/source/Cladogram) from Maganuco *et al.* (2009):

Capitosauria Sclerothorax hypselonotus Warrenisuchus aliciae Edingerella madagascariensis Watsonisuchus gunganj Watsonisuchus magnus Watsonisuchus rewanensis Wetlugasaurus angustifrons Parotosuchus orenburgensis Stanocephalosaurus pronus Cyclotosauridae Cyclotosaurus robustus Tatrasuchus wildi Stenotosaurus stantonensis Xenotosuchus africanus Cherninia denwai Wellesaurus peabodyi Paracyclotosaurus davidi Heylerosauridae Eocyclotosaurus Odenwaldia heidelbergensis Mastodonsauridae Mastodonsaurus giganteus Eryosuchus garjainovi Yuanansuchus laticeps Quasicyclotosaurus campi

## Paleoenvironment

*Warrenisuchus* fossils are the most common components of an amphibian fauna that existed in eastern Australia during the Early Triassic. They are preserved in the [Arcadia Formation](/source/Arcadia_Formation%2C_Australia), which dates back to the [Induan](/source/Induan) stage. Other temnospondyl amphibians from the Arcadia Formation include [rhytidosteids](/source/Rhytidosteid) and [brachyopoids](/source/Brachyopoid). Another amphibian fauna existed around the same time in western Australia and includes a greater diversity of brachyopoids along with rhytidosteids, [trematosaurids](/source/Trematosaurid), and the capitosaur *[Edingerella](/source/Edingerella)*, which was a close relative of *Warrenisuchus*.[1]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SMA03_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SMA03_1-1) Shishkin, M.A. ["The patterns of evolution of Early Triassic herpetofauna in Europe and Gondwana: comparison and implications"](http://www.seh-herpetology.org/files/Proceedings/Herpetologia%20Petropolitana.pdf#page=301) (PDF). *Russian Journal of Herpetology*. Proceedings of the 12th Ordinary General Meeting of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica, August 12–16, 2003, St. Petersburg, Russia. 12(Suppl.): 301–303.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Metal09_2-0)** Maganuco, S.; Steyer, J.S.; Pasini, G.; Boulay, M.; Lorrain, S.; Bénéteau, A.; Auditore, M. (2009). ["An exquisite specimen of *Edingerella madagascariensis* (Temnospondyli) from the Lower Triassic of NW Madagascar; cranial anatomy, phylogeny, and restorations"](https://cnrs.academia.edu/JS%C3%A9bastienSteyer/Papers/1142197/An_exquisite_specimen_of_Edingerella_madagascariensis_Temnospondyli_from_the_Lower_Triassic_of_NW_Madagascar_cranial_anatomy_phylogeny_and_restorations). *Memorie della Società Italiana di Scienze Naturalie del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano*. **36** (2): 1–72.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WH88_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WH88_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-WH88_3-2) Warren, A.A.; Hutchinson, M.N. (1988). ["A new capitosaurid amphibian from the Early Triassic of Queensland, and the ontogeny of the capitosaur skull"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/49776157#page/305/mode/1up). *Palaeontology*. **31** (3): 857–876.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-DRJ01_4-0)** Damiani, R.J. (2001). "Cranial anatomy of the giant Middle Triassic temnospondyl *Cherninia megarhina* and a review of feeding in mastodonsaurids". *Palaeontologica Africana*. **37**: 41–52.

v t e Stereospondyli Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Tetrapodomorpha Order: Temnospondyli Tetrapodomorpha see Tetrapodomorpha Temnospondyli see Temnospondyli Stereospondyli see below↓ Stereospondyli Stereospondyli Arachana Capulomala Peltobatrachus Lapillopsidae Lapillopsis Manubrantlia Rhigerpeton Rotaurisaurus Rhinesuchidae Australerpeton? Broomistega Laccosaurus Parapytanga? Rastosuchus Rhineceps Rhinesuchoides Rhinesuchus Uranocentrodon Lydekkerinidae Chomatobatrachus Cryobatrachus Deltacephalus Eolydekkerina Indobenthosuchus Luzocephalus? Lydekkerina Capitosauria Antarctosuchus Bukobaja Calmasuchus Capitosaurus Cherninia Cyclotosaurus Edingerella Eocyclotosaurus Eryosuchus Heptasaurus Huangfuchuansuchus Jammerbergia Kestrosaurus Kupferzellia Mastodonsaurus Meyerosuchus Odenwaldia Paracyclotosaurus Parotosuchus Quasicyclotosaurus Procyclotosaurus Promastodonsaurus Rhadalognathus Samarabatrachus Sassenisaurus Sclerothorax Selenocara Stanocephalosaurus Stenotosaurus Subcyclotosaurus Tatrasuchus Vladlenosaurus Volgasaurus Volgasuchus Warrenisuchus Watsonisuchus Wellesaurus Wetlugasaurus Xenotosuchus Yuanansuchus Trematosauria see below↓ Trematosauria Trematosauria Almasaurus Bothriceps Callistomordax Chinlestegophis Keratobrachyops Laidleria Latiscopus Qantas Rileymillerus Syrtosuchus Uruyiella Benthosuchidae Benthosuchus Kwatisuchus Trematosauridae Angusaurus Aphaneramma Cosgriffius Erythrobatrachus Gonioglyptus Hyperokynodon Icanosaurus Indolyrocephalus Inflectosaurus Lyrocephaliscus Microposaurus Panchetosaurus Platystega Prothoosuchus Stoschiosaurus Tertrema Tertremoides Thoosuchus Tirraturhinus Trematolestes Trematosuchoides Trematosaurus Trematosuchus Trematotegmen Wantzosaurus Metoposauridae Anaschisma Apachesaurus Arganasaurus Buettnererpeton Dutuitosaurus Metoposaurus Panthasaurus Rhytidosteidae Boreopelta Mahavisaurus Nanolania Peltostega Pneumatostega Rhytidosteus Sangaia Trucheosaurus Derwentiinae Arcadia Acerastia Deltasaurus Derwentia Indobrachyops Rewana Chigutisauridae Arenaerpeton Chigutisaurus Compsocerops Koolasuchus Pelorocephalus Siderops Brachyopidae Banksiops Bathignathus Batrachosaurus Batrachosuchoides Batrachosuchus Blinasaurus Brachyops Gobiops Hadrokkosaurus Notobrachyops Platycepsion Sinobrachyops Vanastega Vigilius Xenobrachyops Plagiosauridae Gerrothorax Megalophthalma Plagiobatrachus Plagiorophus Plagiosaurus Plagioscutum Plagiosternum Plagiosuchus See also: Trematosauroidea Metoposauroidea Rhytidosteoidea Brachyopomorpha Brachyopoidea Plagiosauroidea Category

Taxon identifiers Warrenisuchus Wikidata: Q16993491 GBIF: 8584229 IRMNG: 1479204 Open Tree of Life: 6376283 Paleobiology Database: 266681

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