Dolichosuchus

long crocodile

• dolichos · Greek · long
• suchos · Greek · crocodile

The name combines the Greek word 'dolichos' (long) with 'suchos' (crocodile), the latter being the name of an ancient Egyptian crocodile deity and a common suffix in reptile genus names. The 'long' element likely refers to the elongated proportions of the animal's limbs or body. The '-suchus' suffix was widely used for archosaurs and crocodile-like reptiles, though Dolichosuchus is actually a dinosaur (theropod).

Named by

Huene

Year named

1932

Period

Late Triassic

Stage

Carnian

Found in

Württemberg, Germany

Dolichosuchus is a nomen dubium. It was named by Friedrich von Huene in 1932 on the basis of very fragmentary material — a single tibia — from the Stubensandstein (Löwenstein Formation) of Württemberg, Germany. Because the material is so incomplete, the genus cannot be reliably diagnosed or compared with confidence. It is generally considered a theropod dinosaur, but its fragmentary nature makes any precise placement uncertain.