Phytosaurs are known from many different morphologies, specifically with vastly different skull forms.
These changes relate to the feeding and habits of the animals, not completely evolutionary modifications.
Dolichorostral ("long snouted") phytosaurs have a long, slender snout with many conical teeth that are homodont (all the same).
These taxa were most likely piscivores that were well adapted to capture fast aquatic prey, but not terrestrial animals.
Paleorhinus, Rutiodon and Mystriosuchus are dolichorostral phytosaurs, but do not form a distinct group of taxa (named Mystriosuchinae of Friedrich von Huene) as other morphotypes such as Pseudopalatus are more closely related to Mystriosuchus than it is to the other long-snouted taxa.
Brachyrostral ("short snouted") forms are the opposite, having a massive, broad snout, and very strong skulls and jaws.
They are heterodont, as the front teeth are prominent fangs, and the rear teeth are blade-like for slicing food into chunks that can easily be swallowed.
Taxa like this, such as Nicrosaurus and Smilosuchus, were powerful taxa that fed on stronger prey, such as terrestrial animals that came to the water to drink.
Altirostral ("high snouted") animals are intermediate between the two distinct types.
They had heterodont dentition but not as extremely developed as the brachyrostral type.
Pseudopalatus is an altirostral phytosaur, and was most likely a generalist feeder.
Modern crocodilians exhibit a similar morphological diversity, for example the broad snouted altirostral alligator and the long snouted dolichorostral gavial.

Various phytosaurs have crests and similar ornamentions in their snouts.
Nicrosaurus has a ridge along the snout that would have supported a keratinous crest in life, while Mystriosuchus westphali has several bony crests.
Phytosaurs are known from many different morphologies, specifically with vastly different skull forms. These changes relate to the feeding and habits of the animals, not completely evolutionary modifications. Dolichorostral ("long snouted") phytosaurs have a long, slender snout with many conical teeth that are homodont (all the same). These taxa were most likely piscivores that were well adapted to capture fast aquatic prey, but not terrestrial animals. Paleorhinus, Rutiodon and Mystriosuchus are dolichorostral phytosaurs, but do not form a distinct group of taxa (named Mystriosuchinae of Friedrich von Huene) as other morphotypes such as Pseudopalatus are more closely related to Mystriosuchus than it is to the other long-snouted taxa. Brachyrostral ("short snouted") forms are the opposite, having a massive, broad snout, and very strong skulls and jaws. They are heterodont, as the front teeth are prominent fangs, and the rear teeth are blade-like for slicing food into chunks that can easily be swallowed. Taxa like this, such as Nicrosaurus and Smilosuchus, were powerful taxa that fed on stronger prey, such as terrestrial animals that came to the water to drink. Altirostral ("high snouted") animals are intermediate between the two distinct types. They had heterodont dentition but not as extremely developed as the brachyrostral type. Pseudopalatus is an altirostral phytosaur, and was most likely a generalist feeder. Modern crocodilians exhibit a similar morphological diversity, for example the broad snouted altirostral alligator and the long snouted dolichorostral gavial.
Various phytosaurs have crests and similar ornamentions in their snouts. Nicrosaurus has a ridge along the snout that would have supported a keratinous crest in life, while Mystriosuchus westphali has several bony crests.
Phytosaur