Comments on: Phytosaur portraits

By: Dr. Hungerbuehler Talks Phytosaurs « The Theatrical Tanystropheus

Dr. Hungerbuehler Talks Phytosaurs « The Theatrical Tanystropheus — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:23:18 +0000

[...] late. So, without further ado, I present this long-awaited interview with my instructor and leading phytosaur expert, Dr. Axel Hungerbuehler of Mesalands Community College who has graciously agreed to [...]

By: Phytosaur Q & A With Dr. Hungerbuehler. « The Theatrical Tanystropheus

Phytosaur Q & A With Dr. Hungerbuehler. « The Theatrical Tanystropheus — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:44:05 +0000

[...] time to bring up the curtain! My long-time readers are acutely aware of my current involvement with the Phytosauria. Recently, I’ve decided that I could use some extra incentive for completing my [...]

By: Phytosaur Skull Update « The Theatrical Tanystropheus

Phytosaur Skull Update « The Theatrical Tanystropheus — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:15:39 +0000

[...] in my first major paleontological project: cleaning and describing the skull of a Rhedondasaurus, a phytosaur from the upper Triassic in the Southwestern [...]

By: Roger

Roger — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:54:40 +0000

Yes, they are both two solutions to the same environment. There’s no reason for it, it just happened that way. I can’t understand why Phytosaurs became extinct since they were as well adapted to the amphibious ambush slot as crocs, and crocs have survived many serious extinction events, including the one that kissed off the phytosaurs.

By: David Marjanović

David Marjanović — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 23:04:56 +0000

Why “better”? It looks like a different solution to the same problem (and one that apparently doesn’t require a secondary palate). Crocs have lengthened the whole snout (the maxillae and nasals) — phytosaurs have lengthened the very tip of the snout (the premaxillae) and left the nostrils behind instead.

By: Matt Celeskey

Matt Celeskey — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 04:48:55 +0000

Thanks, Darren & Zach -- should be more drawings to come! As far as your questions, Zach: 1) Common thought seems to be that the nostrils are high up and back on the snout to allow phytosaurs to breathe while almost totally submerged, but I haven't come across an explanation for why they hit on such a different solution from modern crocs. From what I've read, crocs have a bony palate that phytosaurs lacked, so perhaps it is part of an alternate solution to the problem of breathing through the nose while the mouth is submerged. But I'm totally spitballing here, maybe someone more knowledgeable about archosaur anatomy will have an answer. 2) Phytosaurs definitely have bony armor. Exactly how it was arranged isn't entirely known, but it would sure be great if someone discovered a "phytosaur mummy" that preserved all or even most of its scutes intact. I've come across descriptions or figures of specimens showing a) one or two rows of lightly-keeled scutes down the midline of the back, b) a "net" of armor scutes in a pattern reminiscent of chicken-wire or fish scales underneath the throat, and c) subrectangular scutes at least partially covering the forelimb. Presumably they could have armor along the sides and hindlimb, as well, and perhaps on the belly and tail, but I don't know of any clear evidence for or against this. 3) Figuring out exactly how large phytosaurs got is tricky, again due to the lack of complete skeletons. The biggest skull I'm aware of is from Smilosuchus gregorii, 1.4 meters long. There are estimates on the internet pegging it at 12 meters in total length, which would probably put it in Deinosuchus territory. But I'm skeptical about that ratio of skull length to total length, and would be more inclined to believe something in the 8-10 meter range. According to Palaeos, the smaller species of Parasuchus, Rutiodon, and Mystriosuchus top out at 2-3 meters, but there are smaller juvenile specimens of other species known.

By: Zach Miller

Zach Miller — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 01:05:39 +0000

Beautiful sketches! A few phytosaur queries:
1) I assume the recessed nostrils were for the same kind of smell & see above water, like modern crocs–only better. However, if the goal was the same, why don’t we see modern crocodilians with the extremely recessed nostrils that phytosaurs had? Or, to put it another way, why didn’t phytosaurs “stop” their nostrils where they lie in crocs? Crocs seem to be successful enough without moving their noses up to their eyeballs. Have any alternative theories for phytosaurian recessed nostrils been put forth?

2) Do phytosaurs have the bony armor that is so characteristic of modern crocs?

3) How big (and small) did phytosaurs get? Are their any deinosuchus-sized phytosaurs?

By: Darren Naish

Darren Naish — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:11:02 +0000

Love your Angistorhinus head drawing – excellent!