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| Carnufex | |
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| An artist's illustration of Carnufex carolinensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| clade: | Bathyotica |
| Superorder: | Crocodylomorpha |
| Genus: | †Carnufex Zanno et al., 2015 |
| Species: | C. carolinensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Carnufex carolinensis Zanno et al., 2015 | |
Carnufex, name meaning "butcher", is an extinct genus of crocodylomorph that existed during the Carnian stage, late Triassic period in what is now the Pekin formation in North America.
Only known by the species C. carolinensis, which means "Carolina butcher", it was described in 2015 by Zanno et al.. It is known from the holotype skull and skeleton NCSM 51228 and the referred humerus NCSM 21623.
Discovery[]
NCSM 21558 was discovered in a red fluvial conglomerate belonging to the mid-upper portion Pekin Formation of North Carolina, which formed in the Carnian age of the Late Triassic period around 231 million years ago.
Description[]
Since Carnufex is known from most regions of the skeleton, a lot is known about the animal. The species measured approximately 3 metres (10 feet) in length, though it may have grown larger since the holotype specimen was an immature individual.
The skull of Carnufex is notable as it bridges a gap in morphology in early crocodylomorphs. There are also rough areas at the top of the skull, suggesting that the taxon possessed some form of decorative display. Its snout was long and narrow and possessed teeth which were longer and more serrated at the front of the mouth than the back.
Biology[]
Carnufex was also one of the top triassic predators in North America. It would have fed on almost anything it wanted since all the biggest rauisuchians lived in South America or in other parts of North America. Its arms were long and it may have had the ability to move its hand a bit. This would have been advantageous in its life since all the other top predators were quadrupeds and did not have the use of their arms as more than limbs to help it move.
Classification[]
Carnufex, along with another unnamed genus, is a primitive crocodylomorph; far more derived than the members of the family Rauisuchidae.
Below is a simplified cladogram, containing only Loricata and Crocodylomorpha.
| Loricata |
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Paleoecology[]
The Pekin Formation is a Late Triassic deposit in Deep River Basin of North and South Carolina, which dates from the Carnian about 231 million years ago.
References[]
http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/c/carnufex.html
Gallery[]
