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Creators/Authors contains: "Rakotozafy, B"

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  1. ABSTRACT The Maastrichtian Maevarano Formation of northwestern Madagascar represents deposition in a seasonal dry-wet system and hosts a rich assemblage of well-preserved fossil vertebrates. Notosuchian crocodyliforms, a diverse group of mesoeucrocodylians frequently found in Upper Cretaceous rocks of Gondwana, are well represented in this assemblage. The current study focuses on the four recognized notosuchians (Simosuchus clarki, Araripesuchus tsangatsangana, Miadanasuchus oblita and Mahajangasuchus insignis), examining their morphologic diversity to provide insight into the ecology of these sympatric taxa. Here, several complete and incomplete skulls were examined, with measurements of each cranial opening acquired for quantitative analysis. Digital photographs and high-resolution renderings based on CT/µCT reconstructions were utilized. The size, position, and orientation of the external nares, orbits, and choanae were characterized, with the relative position and size of temporal, suborbital, and external mandibular fenestrae noted for comparisons. The dentitions (size, shape, number of teeth) of the four notosuchians were also included in this study, allowing direct insight into feeding ecology of the four taxa. From the data and approaches used herein, morphologic differences were utilized to interpret potential roles of the different species in the Maevarano ecosystem. The four notosuchians can be divided between terrestrial and semi-aquatic habits, and within these ecologies, size and tooth shape assist in determining possible feeding ecology. Of the three primarily carnivorous taxa (Mahajangasuchus, Miadanasuchus, Araripesuchus), only Miadanasuchus and Araripesuchus overlapped ecologically as terrestrial predators. Maximum adult size differences between these two forms likely contributed to differences in prey choice, thereby permitting coexistence in the terrestrial environment. Simosuchus, the other terrestrial notosuchian, clearly differs from the others based on both skull and dental morphology and occupied a primarily herbivorous niche. Finally, Mahajangasuchus is the sole semi-aquatic notosuchian in the assemblage, sharing this habitat with representative and smaller-bodied neosuchians and other aquatic vertebrates and potentially competing with the other carnivorous forms for prey. In sum, the Maevarano Formation vertebrate assemblage can be used as a case-study for comparison with other Mesozoic assemblages with multiple crocodyliforms. 
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