Saltoposuchus
| Saltoposuchus Temporal range: Late Triassic, | |
|---|---|
| Life restoration | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Clade: | Archosauria |
| Clade: | Pseudosuchia |
| Clade: | Loricata |
| Clade: | Crocodylomorpha |
| Family: | †Saltoposuchidae Crush, 1984 |
| Genus: | †Saltoposuchus von Huene, 1921 |
| Type species | |
| †Saltoposuchus connectens von Huene, 1921 | |
Saltoposuchus is an extinct genus of small (1–1.5 m and 10–15 kg), long-tailed crocodylomorph reptile (Sphenosuchia), from the Norian (Late Triassic) of Europe. The name translated means "leaping foot crocodile". It has been proposed that Terrestrisuchus gracilis and Saltoposuchus connectens represent different ontogenetic stages of the same genus. Saltoposuchus was commonly (and incorrectly) referred to in popular literature as the ancestor (or close ancestors) to dinosaurs; however, recent scientific research shows that this is not the case.