The postcranial anatomy of Crocodyliformes has historically been neglected, as most descriptions are based solely on skulls. Yet, the significance of the postcranium in crocodyliforms evolution is reflected in the great lifestyle diversity exhibited by the group, with members ranging from terrestrial animals to semi-aquatic and fully marine forms. Recently, studies have emphasized the importance of the postcranium. Following this trend, here we present a detailed description of the postcranial elements of Pissarrachampsa sera (Mesoeucrocodylia, Baurusuchidae), from the Adamantina Formation (Bauru Group, Late Cretaceous of Brazil). The preserved elements include dorsal vertebrae, partial forelimb, pelvic girdle, and hindlimbs. Comparisons with the postcranial anatomy of baurusuchids and other crocodyliforms, together with body-size and mass estimates, lead to a better understanding of the paleobiology of Pissarrachampsa sera, including its terrestrial lifestyle and its role as a top predator. Furthermore, the complete absence of osteoderms in P. sera, a condition previously known only in marine crocodyliforms, suggests osteoderms very likely played a minor role in locomotion of baurusuchids, unlike other groups of terrestrial crocodyliforms. Finally, a phylogenetic analysis including the newly recognized postcranial features was carried out, and exploratory analyses were performed to investigate the influence of both cranial and postcranial characters in the phylogeny of Crocodyliformes. Our results suggest that crocodyliform relationships are mainly determined by cranial characters. However, this seems to be a consequence of the great number of missing entries in the data set with only postcranial characters and not of the lack of potential (or synapomorphies) for this kind of data to reflect the evolutionary history of Crocodyliformes.

Mourasuchus (Alligatoroidea, Caimaninae) is one of the most peculiar crocodyliforms due to the skull morphology consisting of a long, wide, dorsoventrally flat rostrum with long, slender mandibular rami. Despite these peculiarities, the systematics, phylogeny and feeding habits of this taxon have not been properly studied. In this paper, we describe a new species of the genus, Mourasuchus pattersoni sp. nov., from the late Miocene of the Urumaco Formation of Venezuela. The new species differs from the other Mourasuchus species in having a lateromedially wide, dorsoventrally high jugal bone and a circular incisive foramen, which both represent autapomorphies of the new taxon. Phylogenetically, M. pattersoni sp. nov. is more closely related to M. amazonensis and the specimen UFAC-1424 (formely attributed to M. nativus) than to M. arendsi or M. atopus, whilst Mourasuchus is recovered once more as a monophyletic group. Furthermore, the cladistic analysis performed in this contribution offers a new phylogenetic assessment of Caimaninae, including many taxa described recently for the group. In this study, we also discuss the crocodylian diversity of the Urumaco Formation as well as how paleoenvironment may have contributed toward its evolution. In addition, we provide a discussion of the potential feeding habits of Mourasuchus. In this contribution, Mourasuchus is regarded as a taxon that likely preferred to prey on small animals. The unusual skull morphology of this group may have evolved to cover a large area with the rostrum, allowing for a more efficient prey capture, while the prey may have consisted predominantly of large amounts of small animals.

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Alligatoroidea is the most species-rich crocodylomorph clade of the Cenozoic of South America, with nearly all species belonging to the Caimaninae clade. However, the earliest records of Caimaninae in South America, which are from the Palaeocene, are based mostly on incomplete specimens, which increases the importance of detailed taxonomic and phylogenetic studies on these taxa. This paper offers a taxonomic and phylogenetic review of Necrosuchus ionensis, a caimanine species from the Salamanca Formation of the Palaeocene of Argentina. Necrosuchus ionensis is considered a valid species, albeit with a different diagnosis from that proposed by previous authors. The phylogenetic analysis shows, for the first time, that N. ionensis belongs to the derived Caimaninae clade Jacarea. However, a better understanding of the Jacarea clade is needed, and alternative placements for N. ionensis might be considered. Nevertheless, the placement of N. ionensis as a derived caimanine raises interesting perspectives on the early evolution and radiation of caimanines, which are thoroughly discussed in this paper together with other results obtained in this study, such as the recovery of the North American caimanines Bottosaurus and Tsoabichi as a clade.