Bystrowisuchus is an extinct genus of ctenosauriscid pseudosuchian archosaur from the Early Triassic of European Russia. Fossils have been found in the Olenekian-age Lipovskaya Formation in Ilovlinsky District. The type species is Bystrowisuchus flerovi.[1]
| Bystrowisuchus Temporal range: Early Triassic | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Archosauria |
| Clade: | Pseudosuchia |
| Clade: | †Poposauroidea |
| Family: | †Ctenosauriscidae |
| Genus: | †Bystrowisuchus Sennikov, 2012 |
| Type species | |
| †Bystrowisuchus flerovi Sennikov, 2012 | |
Description
Bystrowisuchus flerovi is based on a holotype specimen including six cervical or neck vertebrae and a partial right ilium or hip bone. Its total body length is estimated at 2 to 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 ft).[1]
Discovery
The holotype specimen of Bystrowisuchus was found near the eastern banks of the Don River in Ilovlinsky District, Volgograd Oblast. It came from a fossil site known as the Donskaya Luka locality, which preserves a wide diversity of Early Triassic tetrapod fossils. Along with Bystrowisuchus, the Donskaya Luka fossil assemblage includes temnospondyl amphibians, a chroniosuchian, a procolophonid, a sauropterygian, a protorosaurian, possible trilophosaurid archosauromorphs, two rauisuchid archosaurs, and a dicynodont. Elongated neural spines previously attributed to the rauisuchid Scythosuchus basileus may belong instead to Bystrowisuchus.[1]