Teratosaurus suevicus Meyer, 1861

Sues, Hans-Dieter & Schoch, Rainer R., 2025, Synopsis of the Triassic reptiles from Germany, Fossil Record 28 (2), pp. 411-483 : 411-483

Teratosaurus suevicus Meyer, 1861

Holotype.

NHMUK PV OR 38646 , nearly complete right maxilla (Fig. 18 A ).

Type locality.

Former quarry at Heslacher Wand, Stuttgart-Heslach, Baden-Württemberg.

Type horizon.

Middle Stubensandstein (S 2), Löwenstein Formation, Middle Keuper Subgroup. Age: Late Triassic (Norian: Lacian-Alaunian).

Referred material.

Galton (1985) referred various isolated teeth and a well-preserved right ilium ( SMNS 52972 ) from Stuttgart-Heslach to Teratosaurus suevicus , but Brusatte et al. (2009) pointed out that these referrals cannot be substantiated. They also noted that the ilium (which possibly came from the same quarry as the holotype; SMNS 52972 ) first described by Meyer (1861) resembles that of the rauisuchid Postosuchus kirkpatricki from the Upper Triassic (Lacian-Alaunian) of Texas. However, it cannot be confidently assigned to Teratosaurus suevicus unless more complete skeletal remains become available. A jaw fragment with one complete tooth crown and parts of three others from Stuttgart-Heslach ( SMNS 53535 ) possibly also belongs to Teratosaurus suevicus .

Diagnosis.

Distinguished by a single autapomorphy: prominent groove for dental lamina on medial surface of maxilla, below which distinctive step separates medial surface of main body from interdental plates ( Brusatte et al. 2009).

Comments.

F. Huene (1907–1908, 1915 b, 1932 b) interpreted Teratosaurus suevicus as a saurischian dinosaur. He referred numerous skeletal remains and teeth to Teratosaurus and named two additional species, Teratosaurus? minor and T.? trossingensis, based on the association of postcranial remains found along with isolated tooth crowns resembling those of the holotype of T. suevicus . The postcranial bones closely resembled those of sauropodomorphs, initially leading to considerable confusion concerning the phylogenetic relationships of various Triassic dinosaurs from Europe. Eventually the postcranial remains were reassigned to Plateosaurus ( Galton 2001 a, b). Galton (1985 a) and Benton (1986) demonstrated that the holotype of Teratosaurus suevicus represented a ‘ rauisuchian’ pseudosuchian, and Brusatte et al. (2009) assigned it to Rauisuchidae .

References.

Meyer (1861), F. Huene (1907–1908, 1915 b, 1932 b), Galton (1985 a, 2001 a, b), Benton (1986), Brusatte et al. (2009).

Figures

Figure 18. Reptiles from the Middle Keuper Subgroup. A. Rauisuchid pseudosuchian Teratosaurus suevicus, holotype (NHMUK PV OR 38646), right maxilla in medial view. Scale bar: 5 cm. B. Saltoposuchid crocodylomorph Saltoposuchus connectens (SMNS 12596), left maxilla, quadrate, and squamosal. Scale bar: 2 cm. C. Saltoposuchid crocodylomorph Saltoposuchus connectens, holotype (SMNS 12597 a), associated elements of postcranial skeleton. Scale bar: 2 cm. B, C. Photographs courtesy of S. N. F. Spiekman.