Feeding habits of the Middle Triassic pseudosuchian <i>Batrachotomus kupferzellensis</i> from Germany and palaeoecological implications for archosaurs

Bite traces on fossil bones are key to deciphering feeding ecology and trophic interactions of vertebrate past ecosystems. However, similarities between produced by different carnivorous taxa with similar dentitions, misidentifications due equifinality, hinder confident identifications the bite makers. Here, we correlate macroscopic wear microanatomy teeth pseudosuchian archosaur Batrachotomus kupferzellensis from Triassic Lower Keuper lagerstätten (southern Germany), untangling its habits shedding light generated ziphodont (teeth serrated carinae). Individually, reflect tooth morphology, whereas composite their frequency related behaviour explain microanatomy. Therefore identification maker is possible analysing traces, location bones, relative abundance. In addition, proven as independent lines evidence ecology. Comparing present-day bone assemblages, observe that modifications crocodylomorph lineage (from archosaurs extinct extant crocodylians) strikingly similar, including without teeth. Such a set features differs modification assemblages outside lineage, such theropod dinosaurs Komodo monitor, suggesting phylogeny better predictor among saurian reptiles than morphology.