Like other hupehsuchians, Eohupehsuchus has a superficially bird-like skull, with an elongate, narrowly tapered, edentulous snout that contributes more than half of its total length.
The genus is distinguished from other hupehsuchians in part by the shape and arrangement of bones in its skull roof: its parietal bones are further towards the back of the skull than those of Hupehsuchus and Nanchangosaurus, and its frontal bones are narrow and rectangular.
In contrast, in Hupehsuchus and Nanchangasaurus, the lateral posterior parts of the frontals (i.e., the regions closest to the jaw joint) are tapered and extend towards the back of the skull.
Based on orbit size, Eohupehsuchus was determined to have a smaller relative eye size than Nanchangosaurus, although sclerotic rings have not been found for either animal.
Paleontologists have not reached a consensus on the function of the hupehsuchian "beak," although one paper argues it was used in lunge feeding, as in modern pelicans.
Like other hupehsuchians, Eohupehsuchus has a superficially bird-like skull, with an elongate, narrowly tapered, edentulous snout that contributes more than half of its total length. The genus is distinguished from other hupehsuchians in part by the shape and arrangement of bones in its skull roof: its parietal bones are further towards the back of the skull than those of Hupehsuchus and Nanchangosaurus, and its frontal bones are narrow and rectangular. In contrast, in Hupehsuchus and Nanchangasaurus, the lateral posterior parts of the frontals (i.e., the regions closest to the jaw joint) are tapered and extend towards the back of the skull. Based on orbit size, Eohupehsuchus was determined to have a smaller relative eye size than Nanchangosaurus, although sclerotic rings have not been found for either animal. Paleontologists have not reached a consensus on the function of the hupehsuchian "beak," although one paper argues it was used in lunge feeding, as in modern pelicans.
Eohupehsuchus