Archeopelta
Name:
Archeopelta
(Ancient shield).
Phonetic: Ar-kay-o-pel-tah.
Named By: J. B. Desojo, M. D. Ezcurra
& C. L. Schultz - 2011.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia,
Archosauriformes, Erpetosuchidae.
Species: A. arborensis
(type).
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Roughly about 2 meters long.
Known locations: Brazil, Santa Maria Formation.
Time period: Ladinian of the Triassic.
Fossil representation: Braincase and partial
skeleton.
Archeopelta was a quadrupedal low slung reptile with a build similar to that of a crocodile. Archeopelta also would have had armoured scutes protecting its body in a similar manner to a crocodile. A predator of smaller animals, the armour may have protected them from rauisuchians and the early ancestors of the dinosaurs.
Further reading
- An unusual new archosauriform from the Middle–Late Triassic of
southern Brazil and the monophyly of Doswelliidae, J. B. Desojo,
M. D. Ezcurra & C. L. Schultz - 2011.
- Doswelliidae: a clade of unusual armoured archosauriforms from the
Middle and Late Triassic. - Geological Society, London, Special
Publications. 379 (1): 49–58. - Hans-Dieter Sues, Julia B. Desojo
& Martin D. Ezcurra - 2013
- Deep faunistic turnovers preceded the rise of dinosaurs in
southwestern Pangaea. - Nature Ecology & Evolution. 1 (10):
1477–1483. - Mart�n D. Ezcurra, Lucas E. Fiorelli, Agust�n G.
Martinelli, Sebasti�n Rocher, M. Bel�n von Baczko, Miguel Ezpeleta,
Jerem�as R. A. Taborda, E. Mart�n Hechenleitner, M. Jimena Trotteyn
& Julia B. Desojo - 2017.
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