A new Early Cretaceous crocodyliform from Niger

Stolokrosuchus lapparenti n.g.n.sp. from Aptian rocks exhibits clear autapo morphies and shares many features with the peirosaurid crocodyliforms from Upper Cretaceous deposits in South America. A phylogenetic analysis groups Stolokrosuchus with these taxa in a monophyletic assemblage and places the clade of peirosaurid crocodyliforms as the sister-taxon of Eusuchia. The Ea rly Cretaceous occurrence of Stolokrosuchus suggests a greater temporal and geographic distribution for Peirosauridae. Additional Early Cretaceous cro codyliforms share a similar South American - African distribution, further supporting a faunal communication between these continents up until at leas t the Aptian.