Prestosuchidae
Prestosuchidae was a polyphyletic grouping of carnivorous archosaurs that lived during the Triassic. They were large active terrestrial apex predators, ranging from around in length. They succeeded the Erythrosuchidae as the largest archosaurs of their time. While resembling erythrosuchids in size and some features of the skull and skeleton, they were more advanced in their erect posture and crocodile-like ankle, indicating more efficient gait. "Prestosuchids" flourished throughout the whole of the middle, and the early part of the late Triassic, and fossils are so far known from Europe, India, Africa (Tanzania), Argentina, and Paleorrota in Brazil. However, for a long time experts disagree regarding the phylogenetic relationships of the group, what genera should be included, and whether indeed the "Prestosuchidae" constitute a distinct family.

In 2011, Prestosuchidae in its broadest definition was determined to be a poorly-diagnosed and obsolete polyphyletic group of pseudosuchians (crocodilian-lineage archosaurs) leading to the more "advanced" rauisuchids and crocodylomorphs. Some studies since then have reintroduced the term Prestosuchidae in a more limited setting. In these studies it refers to a clade containing "Prestosuchus", "Saurosuchus", and "Luperosuchus". Even so, the validity of this clade is unclear, and it is often not supported over a paraphyletic arrangement of its constituents.
Q217743
polyphyletic
Concept
Q130910
archosaur
Concept
Q47158
Triassic
LOC
Q19067
apex predator
Concept
Q133077
Erythrosuchidae
Concept
Q46
Europe
LOC
Q668
India
LOC
Q15
Africa
LOC
Q924
Tanzania
LOC
Q414
Argentina
LOC
Q155
Brazil
LOC
Q217743
polyphyletic
Concept
Q2742285
pseudosuchia
MISC
Q25363
crocodilia
Concept
Q134295
rauisuchids
Concept
Q131863
crocodylomorphs
Concept
Q713623
clade
Concept
Q133936
Prestosuchus
Concept
Q137131
Saurosuchus
Concept
Q6704706
Luperosuchus
Concept
Q208755
paraphyletic
Concept
Q1060553
Prestosuchidae
Concept
Q1060553
Prestosuchidae
Concept
Q1060553
Prestosuchidae
Concept
Q1060553
Prestosuchidae
Concept
2011-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2011
DATE
continent