A new neosuchian crocodyliform from the Lower Cretaceous (late Aptian) Twin Mountains Formation of North-Central Texas

ABSTRACT

A new fossil crocodyliform, Paluxysuchus newmani, gen. et sp. nov., is established on the basis of a nearly complete skull from the Lower Cretaceous (late Aptian) Twin Mountains Formation of north-central Texas. Partially articulated and disarticulated cranial material representing two individuals was recovered from the Jones Ranch locality in close association with the sauropod Paluxysaurus jonesi. The holotype skull is nearly complete, missing the premaxillae, left palatine, and pterygoids, and does not preserve the choanal region. This taxon is notable for having its frontal separated medially from the orbital margin, an extremely elongate anterolateral process of the postorbital, large and rounded supratemporal fenestrae, and a narrow, rod-like posterior ramus of the jugal. These features indicate affinities with goniopholidids, pholidosaurids, and thalattosuchians. A phylogenetic analysis places Paluxysuchus newmani deep within Neosuchia as the sister taxon to the clade that includes Goniopholididae and Eusuchia.

SUPPLEMENTAL DATA—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVP

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I gratefully acknowledge advice and input from L. Jacobs, D. Winkler, T. Fiorillo, R. Tykoski, B. Stump, M. Polcyn, C. Brochu, and A. Turner. Thanks to K. Newman for preparation of the Jones Ranch specimens. Thanks to B. and D. Jones who made the work at their ranch possible. Thanks to A. Murphy, who discovered the specimens and the field parties at the Jones Ranch quarries who collected the fossils. I thank J. M. Leardi and J. Sertich for their valuable comments that helped improve the manuscript. Access to research collections was possible thanks to K. Davies, J. Larsen, and R. Cifelli (OMNH); S. Chapman (NHMUK); and T. Rowe and M. Brown (TMM). This study was supported by the Institute for the Study of Earth and Man, Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, and the Office of Research and Graduate Studies at Southern Methodist University.

Handling editor: You Hailu