A small Cretaceous crocodyliform in a dinosaur nesting ground and the origin of sebecids

Cranial skeleton

The right premaxilla, the left maxilla, some teeth, the palatine and the palpebral are the best-preserved cranial remains, although a fragmentary right prefrontal could be also present. Complete descriptions for these bones were possible after a micro CT-scanning (Fig. 2).

The right premaxilla is exposed on the rock in lateral view. It is a medio-laterally thin bone, and dorso-ventrally higher than rostro-caudally wide. The caudal margin is sinuous, making a dorso-caudal projection of the premaxilla for the contact with the nasals, and articulating with the lost right maxilla in a sigmoid suture (see specular image of Fig. 2). This margin is larger than the rostral premaxillary margin, making a sharp snout. The premaxilla makes the ventral, lateral and part of the dorsal margins of the external naris (Fig. 2a,b,e), which opens directly rostrally in the lower part of the snout. Except for the sloping wall of the naris and the lateral side of the tooth row, the lateral surface of the premaxilla is ornamented by a shallow pit-and-bulge pattern. Four premaxillary tooth positions are present (Fig. 2a,b,d). All the alveoli are of similar length and elliptical shape, although the third is slightly larger than the others. There is also a large foramen between the first alveolus and the naris. The third premaxillary tooth is preserved. It is conical with a very sharp crown and very labiolingually compressed. The crown is curved lingually and mesially. The mesial and distal margins of the crown are rounded and do not bear carinae. The enamel is ornamented with few apico-basal ridges that cross the crown continuously (Fig. 2a). In palatal view, the premaxilla makes a large incisive foramen separated from the tooth row. The premaxilla-maxilla suture is oriented anteromedially. At least two paramedial depressions are visible mesially and distally to the second tooth position of the premaxilla.

The left maxilla is also exposed in its lateral side, but on the opposite side of the rock respect to the premaxilla (Fig. 1C). It is latero-medially compressed, dorso-ventrally large and rostro-caudally short. The lateral surface is gently rugose, ornamented with the same pit-and-bulge pattern as the premaxilla. The maxilla is subpentagonal in outline. The anterior margin of the maxilla is oblique, because the premaxilla-maxilla suture is located into a notch for the reception of the dentary caniniform (Fig. 2a). The dorsal surface for the contact with the nasals is straight and reduced, and then, the dorsal border of the maxilla slopes ventro-caudally for contacting the lacrimal and, ventrally, the jugal. There is no evidence for an anteorbital fenestra. The maxilla projects medially from its ventral margin, making the secondary palate. In medial view, a septum appears on the lateral wall of the maxilla and turns caudally over the palatal portion of the bone, covering the internal breathing chamber. Caudally to the origin of this septum in the lateral wall, a big foramen opens to trigeminal passage. In palatal view, the maxillae branches meet completely anteriorly to the palatines (Fig. 2d). The maxilla makes the anterior border of the suborbital fenestra, precluding ectopterygoid-palatine contact in this margin.

Only five maxillary tooth positions are present (Fig. 2a,b,d). The maxilla preserves the second, third and fourth erupted teeth. The fist is partially preserved unerupted within the alveolus. The third maxillary tooth is the largest, whereas the fourth is the smallest of the three, although the fifth might be even smaller. The alveolar margin is ventrally arched, reaching the greatest depth at the third maxillary position. After the third maxillary tooth, the alveolar margin turns dorsally making a small notch, where the fourth alveolus is located. A row of eight foramina is present in the lateral side over the alveoli. The crowns are curved lingually and distally. The cross section is labio-lingually compressed. The mesial margins of the crowns are rounded, but the distal margins bear unserrated carinae. The enamel is ornamented with several conspicuous ridges that cross the crowns continuously from the base to the apex (Fig. 2a).

The palatine is an elongated bone rostro-caudally oriented, forming part of the narial passage. It is almost straight, though the caudal end is slightly wider than its rostral one. The anteriormost edge is not preserved, but the maxillary outline reveals a sharp anterior margin of the palatine, exceeding the anterior end of the suborbital fenestra and extending between the maxillae (Fig. 2d). The palatine forms the medial margin of the suborbital fenestra. The posterior ends of the palatines define the anterior and lateral margins of a large choanal opening. The anterior margin of the choana is situated between the suborbital fenestrae. Another D-shaped fenestra opens in the middle of the palatal shaft, anteriorly to the choana.

The anterior palpebral is large, and it is not sutured to the adjacent bones. The bone is subtriangular with a wider anterior end, and its major axis oriented antero-posteriorly (Fig. 2c). The anteromedial border is projected medially, forming a sharp crest for the articulation with the prefrontal. The bone is elongate posteriorly and forms the lateral margin of the supraorbital fenestra. The contact of palpebrals is not preserved, but the preserved portion suggests an oval supraorbital fenestra with an antero-posterior major axis.

Axial skeleton

Most of the dorsal series and few caudal vertebrae are identified. Preserved dorsal series includes seven complete and three fragmentary vertebrae, almost in articulation. These vertebrae are tentatively identified as 5th to 14th dorsal vertebrae. They are exposed in dorsal view, except 6th and 14th vertebrae that show their caudal view. Vertebral centra are amphicoelous. Prezygapophyses and postzygapophyses are well developed, with rounded margins, and laterally oriented. However, no variation in their orientation is observed along the dorsal series. The matrix partially hides the vertebrae, therefore some additional characters (i.e., orientation of articular facets; presence and morphology of a suprapostzygapophyseal lamina) cannot be assessed. The prezygapophyses seem to fuse with the transversal processes from the 7th dorsal vertebra on, as described in other related taxa as Notosuchus terrestris¹⁸, Baurusuchus albertoi¹⁹, Pissarrachampsa sera¹⁰ and Campinasuchus dinizi²⁰. However this condition must be taken with caution, because it is only based on the 7th and 11th vertebrae. Transversal processes are hidden by the matrix in the rest of the series. Neural spines are broken in all the vertebrae except in the 14th dorsal. This spine is well developed and high, corresponding to half of the total height of the vertebra. However, based on the broken basis of neural spines along the series, the spine is medio-posteriorly located on the neural arch, as in B. albertoi¹⁹ and Campinasuchus²⁰. A few distal caudal vertebral centra are also preserved, without association with neural spines and transverse processes.

In addition, some dorsal ribs are also identified. These elements are flattened. The proximal end shows the capitulum and the tuberculum for articulating with the associated vertebrae. Capitulum and tuberculum are separated by a well-marked U-shaped depression. The shaft is ventrally curved and shows a median longitudinal depression, unlike Campinasuchus²⁰. At middle length the shaft makes torsion, being antero-posteriorly flattened at proximal half and medio-laterally fattened at distal half.

Forelimb

Only the right ulna, and the metacarpals I, II, III and IV are well identified. The proximal epiphysis of the right radius is also probably preserved (Fig. S9).

The ulna is an elongated and latero-medially flattened bone, as in other sebecids, baurusuchids, and notosuchians^10,19,20. It is exposed in lateral side. In lateral view, the bone is arquated, displaying a concave anterior margin and a concave posterior one. The bone becomes shaper on its distal portion. The distal condyles are lost. The proximal end is cranio-caudally expanded. The proximal articular surface is concave, with the caudal olecranon process more developed than the cranio-lateral one. The lateral face bears a shallow longitudinal groove for the insertion of M. extensor carpi radialis brevis pars ulnaris, delimited caudally by a ridge for the insertion of M. flexor ulnaris^10,21.

The proximal epiphysis of the radius is not well preserved. In proximal view it is a sub-squared bone with wide condyles, but it is strongly damaged hampering the assessment of detailed morphology.

Metacarpals were identified based on it general outline. The metecarpals I and II are almost complete, but the II, IV and the probable V are distally broken. Metacarpals decrease in width and robustness from the I to the V, being the first the largest. Each of them has an expanded proximal portion for articulating with the next metacarpal. The width of this expansion also decreases in size accordingly. In MI and III, the distal condyles bear a circular central depression for the attachment of M. interossei is observed²¹. These bones are similar to those referred to other baurusuchids^10,19.

Hindlimb

A partial left femur, both tibiae and an indeterminate metatarsal were identified.

The femur is broken in two parts. The shaft seems almost cylindrical, but both proximal and distal ends are lost hindering any accurate morphological description.

Both tibiae are exposed in posterior view. They are long and medially curved bones, as in B. albertoi¹⁶, Sebecus²², Stratiotosuchus²³ and Mariliasuchus⁸, differing from the straight condition in Crocodylia. Left tibia is preserved only in its distal portion, but the right tibia is almost complete. The tibial shaft is bowed posteriorly and medially, as in Sebecus²². This tibia is expanded at both ends, although the proximal articular surface is not well preserved. The distal end of the tibia is divided into lateral and medial portions. The medial portion is mesio-distally projected, forming an oblique distal margin. The lateral portion is well developed. This condition is present in other notosuchians as Stratiotosuchus, Notosuchus, Araripesuchus, Yacarerani, Pissarrachampsa and Sebecus^{8,10,22,24,25}.

A left metatarsal is well preserved. It is a long and slender bone, compressed cranio-caudally. The shaft is almost straight with expanded proximal and distal ends. The proximal end shows well-marked lateral and medial condyles separated by a shallow concavity. The distal condyles are rounded, making a squared epiphysis. A lateral circular concavity is observed in both sides for the attachment of the M. interossei, as in the metacarpals. Based on the moderate expansion of the proximal end, this bone is tentatively considered as the metatarsal I.

Remarks

Based on the reconstructed 3D model, the general outline of the skull (Fig. 2), especially the lateromedially compressed and dorsoventrally high premaxillae and maxillae and the reduced dental formula (four or five maxillary teeth), resemble the typical doggy-shaped baurusuchid skulls^7,26. The maxilla of Ogresuchus specially resembles that of Gondwanasuchus²⁷, but although both taxa show apicobasal sulci on their teeth, Gondwanasuchus bears serrated dentition. The ornamentation pattern of Ogresuchus is also similar to Caipirasuchus teeth, although Caipirasuchus shows a highly specialized dentition composed by three serrated morphotypes in a continuous tooth row, not separated by a premaxillary-maxillary notch¹². The anterior palpebral of Ogresuchus is unusually elongated. This bone differs from the morphology observed in most basal notosuchians, baurusuchids and sebecids; although comparisons are hindered because of the palpebral is not preserved in several species. On the other hand, the shape of the anterior palpebral is reminiscent to Gondwanasuchus²⁷ and Araripesuchus tsangtsangana²⁴. Finally, The absence of antorbital fenestra in Ogresuchus differs from many basal notosuchians and some baurusuchids^{12,26,27,28,29,30,31,32}. This condition is similar to those observed in some basal notosuchians, a few baurusichids, and sebecids^7,31,33.

Source: Ecology - nature.com