Gracilisuchidae

Gracilisuchidae is an extinct family of suchian archosaurs known from the early Middle Triassic to the early Late Triassic (Anisian – early Carnian) of China, Argentina, and Brazil.

==Distribution== The oldest known gracilisuchids are Turfanosuchus dabanensis and Taihangosuchus wuxiangensis from the Anisian stage of Xinjiang and Shanxi Province, China, respectively. Two gracilisuchids are known from the Ladinian or early Carnian stage, Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum and Yonghesuchus sangbiensis, from La Rioja Province of Argentina, and Shanxi, respectively. These species were considered enigmatic prior to the recognition of the family in 2014, suggesting a rapid phylogenetic diversification of archosaurs by the Middle Triassic. This radiation is a part of the broader recovery of terrestrial ecosystems after the Permian–Triassic extinction event. Gracilisuchids are known from approximately similar northern and southern mid-palaeolatitudes, demonstrating a wide distribution of early archosaurs over much or all of Pangaea by the early Middle Triassic. Parvosuchus, from Brazil's Santa Maria Formation (Ladinian–Carnian boundary), represents the first unequivocal gracilisuchid from the country. Maehary, known from the Caturrita Formation (Norian stage) of Brazil, is likely a gracilisuchid, although it was originally described as an early-diverging pterosauromorph.