Some specimens have been reported from the Campanian-aged deposits of Central Asia (Chimkent of Kazakhstan and Kirkuduk of Tajikistan), although the species status is indeterminate for these fossils.

[12] However, other studies have shown that some of the variation seen between the two species, such as the orientation of the maxillary tooth row, are not ontogenic, thus making B. sealeyi a valid taxon.

[16] Leidyosuchus† Diplocynodon† Alligatorinae (stem-based group) Stangerochampsa† Albertochampsa† Brachychampsa† Protocaiman† Gnatusuchus† Globidentosuchus† Eocaiman† Notocaiman† Kuttanacaiman† Purussaurus† Mourasuchus† crown Caimaninae However, Walter et al. (2022) recovered Brachychampsa, Stangerochampsa and Albertochampsa as the basalmost alligatorines based on phylogenetic analysis and claimed that the earliest definitive stem-group caimans are known from the earliest Paleocene.

[19] It has been regarded as a specialist hunter of turtles, based on its rostral shape, massive dentary, and dental morphology,[20] though this has been challenged over the years.

[21] In 2003, Robert M. Sullivan and Spencer G. Lucas observed that most late Cretaceous turtles were probably too big for consumption, and that if they did represent a large portion of Brachychampsa's diet, it would have had to hunt either juveniles or smaller turtle species.