[2] Many teeth were found, as well as a dorsal vertebra and some vertebral centra, some pelvic bones, part of a fibula and tibia, a few metatarsals, and ventral and neck osteoderms.

S. shunanensis has a longer snout than other species, being around three times the length of the postorbital region, or the portion of the skull behind the eyes.

The mandible was collected from the Phu Kradung Formation near the town of Nong Bua Lamphu.

However, the formation has more recently been considered to be Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous in age, potentially making S. thailandicus the youngest species of the genus.

[6] However, a newly discovered specimen showed that S. thailandicus is sufficiently distinct from other nominal species of Sunosuchus to be placed in its own genus, Chalawan.

[7] Sunosuchus was initially classified as a pholidosaurid because its jaws were long, making it a longirostrine, or long-snouted, crocodyliform.

[1] Theriosuchus pusillus Theriosuchus guimarotae Rugosuchus Bernissartia Eusuchia Stolokrosuchus Tethysuchia Thalattosuchia Calsoyasuchus valliceps "Goniopholis" phuwiangensis Eutretauranosuchus delfi "Sunosuchus" junggarensis Sunosuchus miaoi Sunosuchus thailandicus Siamosuchus phuphokensis Amphicotylus lucasii Denazinosuchus kirtlandicus Nannosuchus gracilidens Hulkepholis (Hulke's goniopholidid) Anteophthalmosuchus (Hooley’s goniopholidid) Anteophthalmosuchus (Dollo’s goniopholidid) Goniopholis baryglyphaeus Goniopholis kiplingi Goniopholis simus The material from Kyrgyzstan is the westernmost record of the geographic range of Sunosuchus.

These areas shared a similar fauna that is characterized by crocodyliforms such as Sunosuchus as well as temnospondyl amphibians and xinjiangchelyid turtles, indicating freshwater environments across the region.

Marine hybodont sharks and dipnoans are found in the Kyrgyzstan strata, suggesting that the area was estuarine at the time rather than entirely freshwater.