Scutarx

Scutarx is an extinct genus of aetosauriform, most commonly regarded by its species name Scutarx deltatylus (Scutarx Latin for “shield fortress” -scutum meaning “shield” and -arx meaning “fortress”; deltatylus Greek for “triangular protuberance” -delta meaning triangle and -tylos meaning “knob, knot, swelling, callous, protuberance”). Scutarx lived around 230 million years ago during the Carnian and Norian stages of the Late Triassic. Scutarx is a medium-sized reptile with osteoderms belonging to the Aetosauria, a heavily armored and more herbivorous clade of pseudosuchians.

The presence of a large, triangular boss in the posteromedial corner of the dorsal surface of the dorsal paramedian osteoderms is the primary morphological characteristic that distinguishes Scutarx from other aetosaurs. Both morphologically and stratigraphically, Scutarx can be distinguished from the closely related taxa Calyptosuchus wellesi and Adamanasuchus eisenhardtae. Because of this, Scutarx is prevalent in the fossil record because it may be an indicator taxon for the late Adamanian biozone.