A new crocodylomorph (Pseudosuchia, Crocodylomorpha) from the Upper Triassic of Texas and its phylogenetic relationships

A new crocodylomorph taxon, <i>Pattisaura gracilis</i>, is described based on an associated partial skeleton from the Upper Triassic Dockum Group of northwest Texas. <i>Pattisaura</i> <i>gracilis</i> represents a non-crocodyliform crocodylomorph and can be characterized mainly by a set of character states from the skull, vertebral column, pelvis, and osteoderms. The discovery of <i>P</i>. <i>gracilis</i> expands the distribution range of non-crocodyliform crocodylomorphs in North America. <i>P</i>. <i>gracilis</i> may be closely related to <i>Redondavenator quayensis</i> from northeast New Mexico. With addition of <i>P</i>. <i>gracilis</i>, our phylogenetic analysis does not support the monophyly of Sphenosuchia and the presence of an Argentinian clade, a purely North American clade, or a Middle to Late Jurassic Hallopodidae among non-crocodyliform crocodylomorphs but confirms the closest relationship of <i>Almadasuchus</i> to Crocodyliformes and partly supports the existence of Solidocrania with <i>Hallopus victor</i> as its most basally branching member. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:572159ED-1546-4434-8AAA-052F56287539