First Upper Cretaceous notosuchians (Crocodyliformes) from the Uberaba Formation (Bauru Group), southeastern Brazil: Enhancing crocodyliform diversity

Abstract

Notosuchians are the most diverse group and are frequently found in rocks of the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group of southeastern Brazil. These crocodyliforms occupied several different terrestrial ecological niches, ranging from small to large bodied forms, including hypercarnivore to strictly herbivore animals. Most of this diversity comes from the Adamantina and Serra da Galga formations, where baurusuchids, peirosaurids and the so called “advanced notosuchians” are common occurrences. In this context, the Serra da Galga Formation (formerly Serra da Galga Member of the Marília Formation), that crops out at the Uberaba region, stands out as one of the most prolific Upper Cretaceous units in Brazil. The Uberaba Formation is another unit present in this area, underlying the Serra da Galga Formation, but to date, its crocodyliform diversity is virtually unknown. Here we describe the first notosuchians remains from the Uberaba Formation, and the first new taxon from this unit, Eptalofosuchus viridi gen. et sp. nov., based on a partial dentary with some teeth of an “advanced notosuchian”. The other remains include isolated teeth of a large baurusuchid and a possible longirostrine peirosaurid, suggesting that the Uberaba Formation shared a similar notosuchian fauna with that present in the Adamantina and São José do Rio Preto formations.