Mahajangasuchus is an extinct genus of crocodyliform which had blunt, conical teeth. The type species, M. insignis, lived during the Late Cretaceous; its fossils have been found in the Maevarano Formation in northern Madagascar. It was a fairly large predator, measuring up to 4 metres (13 ft) long.[1]
With the inception of the Mahajanga Basin Project (MBP) in 1993, led by Dr. David Krause, came a significant increase of discoveries and research into the fauna of the Maastrichtian Maevarano Formation in northern Madagascar. This included a variety of crocodylomorphs with the largest specimen being a well preserved disarticulated skeleton discovered in 1995 roughly 1 km south-east of the village of Berivotra. This skeleton, specimen UA 8654, consisted of a complete left and partial right mandible, vertebrae of the cervical, dorsal, saccral and caudal regions, several ribs as well as material of the pectoral, pelvic girdle and limb bones. Osteoderms and isolated teeth have also been found in association with the skeletal remains. Although this specimen was originally believed to represent Trematochampsa oblita (now Miadanasuchus oblita), further research concluded that this specimen instead represented a new genus of crocodylomorph, named Mahajangasuchus insignis by Buckley and Brochu in 1999.[2] While the holotype specimen lacked cranial remains, further excavations did uncover skull material of the animal.[3]
The generic name means "crocodile from Mahajanga Basin" in reference to the area the fossils had been found in. The species epithet insignis is Latin and means "remarkable" or "extraordinary", chosen to not only reflect the preservation of the holotype specimen but also due to the strange morphology of the mandible.[2]
Mahajangasuchus was a medium to large sized crocodylomorph, characterized by a strongly arched jugal, depressions beneath the orbit, a broad platyrostral snout, a massive choanal septum, a broad and rounded anterior edge of the dentary, ziphodont teeth and short mandibular symphysis, reaching posteriorly only to the posterior margin of the 2nd alveolous, superficially resembling the Cenozoic caiman Mourasuchus.[2]