SICHUANOSUCHUS-SHUHANENSIS, A NEW EARLY CRETACEOUS PROTOSUCHIAN (ARCHOSAURIA, CROCODYLIFORMES) FROM SICHUAN (CHINA), AND THE MONOPHYLY OF PROTOSUCHIA

A new protosuchian, Sichuanosuchus shuhanensis, sp. nov. from the ?Low er Cretaceous of Sichuan (China), is distinguished from other known ba sal crocodyliform archosaurs primarily by the subdivision of the small antorbital fenestra into anterior and posterior openings, the presenc e of a large, caniniform first maxillary tooth, followed by seven teet h with low, chisel-like crowns, and the posterior palpebral being larg er than the anterior one. Phylogenetic analysis using 128 characters f or 29 crocodyliform taxa supports the monophyly of Protosuchia. Sichua nosuchus is most closely related to Shantungosuchus from the Upper Jur assic and Lower Cretaceous of China. These two taxa, together with Gob iosuchus from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia, appear to form a clade of late Mesozoic basal crocodyliform reptiles.