Data from: A peirosaurid mandible from the Albian (Lower Cretaceous) of Algeria and the taxonomic content of Hamadasuchus (Crocodylomorpha, Peirosauridae)

Peirosaurids form an extinct clade of terrestrial crocodylomorphs known
from the Cretaceous of Africa and South America. Here, we describe a new
mandibular ramus attributable to Hamadasuchus cf. rebouli from the
Albian/Cenomanian of La Gara Samani (Algeria). We propose an emended
diagnosis for this taxon, originally described from a left dentary
fragment from the Kem Kem beds of Morocco and discuss the assignation of
the specimens currently referred to it. Using ontogenetic series of extant
crocodylians, we show that several mandibular characters commonly used to
differentiate between close taxa instead record intraspecific or
ontogenetic variability. On the other hand, reliable mandibular characters
allow us to propose that the current taxonomic content of Hamadasuchus
rebouli should be reduced to three specimens, pending future description
of relatable cranial remains that will confirm or not this hypothesis.
Finally, we demonstrate the importance of mandibular characters in
phylogenies, by recovering the new specimen from La Gara Samani as closely
related to North African peirosaurids on the basis of a data matrix
designed solely on mandibular characters.