Saltoposuchus

Taxobox
name = "Saltoposuchus"
fossil_range = Late Triassic


image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Saltoposuchus connectens"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
unranked_ordo = Archosauria
superordo = Crocodylomorpha
subordo = Sphenosuchia
genus = "Saltoposuchus"
binomial = "Saltoposuchus connectens"
binomial_authority = Huene, 1921

"Saltoposuchus" is an extinct genus of small (3-5 feet), long- tailed crocodylomorph reptile (Sphenosuchia), from the Norian (Upper Triassic) of Europe and North America. The name translated means "leaping crocodile". It has been proposed (Clark "et al." 2000) that "Terrestrisuchus gracilis" and "Saltoposuchus connectens" represent different ontogenetic stages of the same genus. In which case, the name "Saltoposuchus" would take precedence over "Terrestrisuchus" (1984). However, there is no consensus upon this yet.

The front arms were short and the hind legs were long. It was clearly a swift bipedal runner Fact|date=April 2008, though it was probably comfortable on all four feet as well. It possessed pointed teeth and a double row of bony scutes along its back.

It is not well-known, though it used to enjoy some fame and was commonly referred to in popular literature as close to the ancestor of the dinosaurs, if not "the" ancestor of the dinosaurs. Superficially, it does resemble a small theropod and indeed, a skull of "Saltoposuchus" was formerly attributed to the theropod "Procompsognathus". Current scientific opinion does not however consider "Saltoposuchus" to be ancestral to the dinosaurs. "Saltoposuchus" was classified in the Thecodontia, but this group is no longer considered valid (due to paraphyly). In some popular literature "Saltoposuchus" is erroneously referred to as a dinosaur.

"Saltoposuchus" is not to be confused with "Saltasaurus" or with "Saltopus".

References

*Dino Russ [http://www.dinosaur.com/de_4/5a6eed.htm]
*Palaeos [http://www.palaeos.com/Mesozoic/Triassic/Norian.4.htm]
*Mikko's Phylogeny Archive [http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/haaramo/Metazoa/Deuterostoma/Chordata/Archosauria/Crocodylia/Sphenosuchia_1.htm]