Heterosuchus is an
extinct genus of
crocodylomorph that may have been an
eusuchian. It is known only from neck and back
vertebrae recovered from
Early Cretaceous-age rocks of the Hastings Beds (
Wealden Group of
Hastings,
Sussex. These vertebrae are procoelous (ball-and-socket articulation with the socket in front and the ball on the back of individual vertebrae), which is a trait of eusuchians.
Heterosuchus was described by
Harry Seeley in 1887, with
H. valdensis as the
type species. It may be the same genus as the slightly younger
Hylaeochampsa, inferred to have been of similar
evolutionary grade, but there is no overlapping material as
Hylaeochampsa is known only from a partial skull;
Hylaeochampsa would be the name used for both in that case, because it is the older name (coined in 1874). Because of the sparse material and apparent lack of distinguishing characteristics, James Clark and Mark Norell (1992) considered
Heterosuchus a
dubious name.