page_title: Bathysuchus
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Bathysuchus / Description
caption_attribution_description: DORCM G.05067iv tooth of Bathysuchus megarhinus gen. et. sp. nov. A, tooth in labial view. B, tooth medial-mesial view. C, tooth in lingual view. D, tooth in mesial-medial view. Scale bar equals 3 cm.
context_page_description: Bathysuchus is an extinct genus of teleosaurid thalattosuchian from Late Jurassic deep water marine deposits in England and France. Bathysuchus displays features that suggest it was more pelagic than other teleosaurids, including smoother skull bones and reduced armour plating, similar to the fully marine metriorhynchids. This was possibly an adaptation to rising sea levels during the Kimmeridgian, as its earlier relatives such as Teleosaurus were suited for shallow coasts and lagoon environments.
context_section_description: Bathysuchus is a very long-snouted (longirostrine) teleosaurid, currently known only from several snouts, the back of the skull, teeth, and a few osteoderms. It is distinguished from other derived teleosaurids in the following characteristics: strongly ventrally deflected anterior margin of the premaxilla; five premaxillary alveoli, the caudal-most being considerably reduced in size; anterodorsally oriented external nares; conical teeth bearing carinae which are only visible on the apical third of the crown. Other salient diagnostic characters can be found in the tooth count, shape of external nares (which is roughly '8'-shaped) and strong deflection of the premaxilla down and outwards.
  The osteoderms of Bathysuchus are unlike those of other teleosaurids. Teleosaurid osteoderms are typically heavily ornamented with irregular or tear-drop shaped pits radiating in a starburst pattern, while those of Bathysuchus have small circular pits arranged in alternating rows (shared with Aeolodon). All but the single caudal osteoderm also lack keels. The osteoderms are also generally smaller and thinner than typical of teleosaurids.
caption: Assigned tooth
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