A novel genus and species of archosaurian pseudosuchian has been cataloged based on distinct fossilized remnants unearthed in the southern expanse of Brazil.
Tainrakuasuchus bellator. Image credit: Caio Fantini.
The ancient organism, referred to as Tainrakuasuchus bellator, inhabited regions that now constitute Brazil during the Triassic epoch, approximately 240 million years in the past.
This prehistoric carnivore possessed an estimated length of 2.4 meters (8 feet) and a body mass of 60 kg.
The anatomical configuration of this species included a dorsal surface protected by ossified dermal plates, termed osteoderms, a characteristic shared with extant crocodilians.
Leveraging its elongated neck and considerable agility, this creature would ambush its quarry through rapid and precise maneuvers. It then secured its prey with a narrow mandible equipped with serrated, backward-curving dentition, effectively incapacitating escape attempts.
“This creature was an active hunter, yet despite its substantial dimensions, it was dwarfed by some of the apex predators within its contemporary ecosystem, which could attain lengths of up to 7 meters (23 feet),” stated Dr. Rodrigo Temp Müller, a paleontologist affiliated with the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria.
Tainrakuasuchus bellator is classified within the Pseudosuchia clade, representing ancestral lineages that led to modern crocodiles and alligators.
“The pseudosuchians constituted a remarkably varied assembly of fauna, capable of subduing formidable prey, alongside smaller predators adapted for capturing fleet-footed animals,” Dr. Temp Müller elaborated.
“Although its superficial resemblance to dinosaurs might suggest otherwise, Tainrakuasuchus bellator is not taxonomically aligned with that group.”
“A definitive distinction from dinosaurs can be observed in the pelvic anatomy, particularly the distinct articulation of the hip socket and the femur.”
“The identification of Tainrakuasuchus bellator underscores the intricate ecological dynamics of the period, wherein diverse pseudosuchian species, varying in size and predatory tactics, occupied specialized environmental niches.”
“Its emergence into the scientific record provides insight into a pivotal phase in evolutionary history, specifically the era preceding the ascendance of the dinosaurs.”
A partial skeletal reconstruction of Tainrakuasuchus bellator, encompassing elements of the mandible, vertebral column, and pelvic structure, was discovered in May 2025 within the municipality of Dona Francisca, situated in southern Brazil.
While the organism’s appendicular skeleton was not preserved, the research cadre infers, based on its phylogenetic relatives, that it was likely quadrupedal.
“The discovery of Tainrakuasuchus bellator offers further corroboration of the ancient geological and biological connections between Brazil and Africa during the Triassic period, a time when Earth’s landmasses were consolidated into the supercontinent Pangea,” Dr. Temp Müller remarked.
“Notwithstanding the considerable diversity within pseudosuchians, their evolutionary trajectory remains somewhat enigmatic due to the scarcity of fossil evidence for certain lineages in the paleontological record.”
“The retrieved fossil specimens underwent a rigorous preparation procedure in the laboratory, entailing the painstaking removal of encasing geological matrix.”
“Upon delineating the anatomical intricacies, our team experienced profound satisfaction and excitement upon confirming that the specimen represented a species previously undocumented in scientific literature.”
“What we identified was a species belonging to a predatory lineage closely allied with Mandasuchus tanyauchen, a creature identified in Tanzania.”
“This observed correlation between fauna from South America and Africa is explicable within the context of the paleogeographic configuration of the Triassic period.”
“During that epoch, the continental masses remained adjoined, facilitating the unimpeded migration of organisms across regions now demarcated by oceanic expanses.”
“Consequently, the faunal assemblages of Brazil and Africa shared a number of commonalities, reflecting a convergent pattern of evolutionary and ecological development.”
“Tainrakuasuchus bellator would have thrived in an environment adjacent to an extensive, arid desert, mirroring the setting in which the earliest dinosaurs originated.”
“This finding demonstrates that, in the territory now comprising southern Brazil, reptilian life had already diversified into complex communities adept at various survival stratagems.”
“Furthermore, this discovery indicates that such ecological heterogeneity was not a localized phenomenon but rather a widespread pattern.”
The findings associated with this discovery are detailed in a publication featured in the Journal of Systematic Palaeontology.
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Rodrigo Temp Müller et al. Osteology, taxonomy and phylogenetic affinities of a new pseudosuchian archosaur from the Middle Triassic of southern Brazil. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, published online November 12, 2025; doi: 10.1080/14772019.2025.2573750
