Protosuchus was about 1 metre (3.3 ft) in length and about 40 kilograms (88 lb) in weight.

As an early crocodilian relative, its skull featured more crocodilian characteristics than its earlier ancestors; it had short jaws that broadened out at the base of the skull, providing a large surface to which its jaw muscles could attach.

This increased the maximum gape of the animal's mouth and the force with which the jaws could be closed.

[2] It also possessed a powerful tail which later developed into a propulsion mechanism through water in its descendants.

[citation needed] Three species of Protosuchus have been described: the type species P. richardsoni [3] from Arizona, United States, P. micmac[4][5] from Nova Scotia, Canada and P. haughtoni [6] from South Africa.