A new peirosaurid from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation (Upper Cretaceous, Santonian) of Cerro Overo, Neuquén, Argentina

Abstract

In this article we present a new peirosaurid crocodyliform: Kinesuchus overoi gen. et sp. nov. The specimen was recovered from the Bajo de la Carpa Formation (Santonian, Upper Cretaceous) and is composed of an incomplete mandible consisting of dentaries, splenials, and portion of the left surangular. The specimen shares some features with the peirosaurids Hamadasuchus, Pepesuchus and Itasuchus, including a narrow symphyseal region in lateromedial and dorsoventral views with a planar dorsal surface and an anterior projection of the splenial. This new material increases the diversity of peirosaurids in the Neuquén Group, and the faunal richness of the Bajo de la Carpa Formation.