Phytosauria

Phytosauria is an extinct group of archosauriform reptiles that lived during the Triassic Period. Its members resembled crocodiles, with long snouts and bodies adapted to life near water.

Archosauriformes: Archosauriformes is a group of reptiles that includes archosaurs and several extinct related lineages. Phytosaurs belong among archosauriforms but are not generally classified as true archosaurs.
Antorbital fenestra: An antorbital fenestra is an opening in the skull between the eye socket and nostril. This opening is part of the archosauriform skull anatomy used to compare phytosaurs with related reptiles.
Smilosuchus: Smilosuchus is a large phytosaur genus known from Late Triassic deposits in western North America. Its robust skull exemplifies one of the more heavily built phytosaur forms.
Phytosaur phylogeny: Phytosaur phylogeny is the study of evolutionary relationships among phytosaur taxa. Skull features produce competing hypotheses about relationships within the group.
Archosauria: Archosauria is the reptile group containing crocodilians, dinosaurs, birds, and their last common ancestor. Phytosaurs resemble crocodilians but fall outside Archosauria in most current classifications.
Naris: A naris is an external opening of the nasal passage in a vertebrate skull. Phytosaur nostrils sit near the eyes rather than at the snout tip, unlike those of crocodilians.
Rutiodon: Rutiodon is a phytosaur genus known from Late Triassic rocks of eastern North America. Its fossil skull illustrates the elevated nostrils characteristic of phytosaurs.
Archosauriform phylogeny: Archosauriform phylogeny is the study of evolutionary relationships among archosauriform reptiles. Phytosaur placement near the base of Archosauriformes affects interpretations of early archosaur evolution.
Triassic: The Triassic is the geologic period from about 252 to 201 million years ago. Phytosaurs flourished in Triassic ecosystems before disappearing near the period's end.
Phytosaur rostrum: The rostrum is the elongated snout of a phytosaur, varying in shape among species. Rostrum form helps distinguish phytosaur species and reflects differences in feeding ecology.

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