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RE: the importance of Quianosuchus



David Peters wrote:

I ran across* Quianosuchus yesterday at the Hairy Museum of Paleontology and wondered what it was and why nobody had ever mentioned it before on the dino list.

They did. Search the DML archives for "_Qianosuchus_". This is one situation where correct spelling is important (Qianosauchus vs Quianosuchus).


_Qianosuchus_ (Middle Triassic) is an interesting critter in its own right, as it represents the earliest known archosaur (or archosauriform) that shows evidence of an amphibious lifestyle. _Qianosuchus_ might have had a lifestyle similar to modern saltwater crocodiles ("salties" as they're affectionately known). The authors who described it (Li et al., 2006; Naturwissenschaften 93:200-206) put it in the Crurotarsi - in other words, on the line leading to crocs, not the line that led to dinosaurs/birds.

With Quianosuchus, the lineage leading toward dinosaurs has just gotten bushier. And its nice to know that none of the metatarsals are reduced in diameter. That little fact has big implications for Irmis's so-called "dinosauromorphs."

How so?

Oh... hang on. Are you constructing phylogenies based solely on "key characters". Shame on you, Mr Peters! Tsk tsk.

More brewing.

Whatever it is you're imbibing, it's powerful stuff!

Cheers

Tim

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