Ornithosuchidae is an extinctfamily of reptiles from the Triassic period that were distantly related to crocodilians. They are classified as crurotarsanarchosaurs. Ornithosuchids were quadrupedal and facultatively bipedal, meaning they had the ability to walk on two legs for short periods of time. They have distinctive downturned snouts and uniquely shaped ankle bones that distinguish them from other archosaurs. Ornithosuchids were geographically widespread during the Carnian and Norian stages of the Late Triassic. Three genera, Ornithosuchus, Venaticosuchus and Riojasuchus are presently known. The family was first erected by German paleontologist Friedrich von Huene in 1914.
Ornithosuchidae is an extinctfamily of reptiles from the Triassic period that were distantly related to crocodilians. They are classified as crurotarsanarchosaurs. Ornithosuchids were quadrupedal and facultatively bipedal, meaning they had the ability to walk on two legs for short periods of time. They have distinctive downturned snouts and uniquely shaped ankle bones that distinguish them from other archosaurs. Ornithosuchids were geographically widespread during the Carnian and Norian stages of the Late Triassic. Three genera, Ornithosuchus, Venaticosuchus and Riojasuchus are presently known. The family was first erected by German paleontologist Friedrich von Huene in 1914.