Fossils have been found from the Nova Olinda Member of the Aptian-age Crato Formation in the Araripe and Lima Campos Basins of northeastern Brazil.

Named in 2003, Susisuchus is the sole member of the family Susisuchidae, and is closely related to the clade Eusuchia, which includes living crocodilians.

It can be distinguished from the two other crocodyliforms known from the formation, Araripesuchus and the trematochampsid Caririsuchus, on the basis of characteristics of the fibula and proportions of the femur and tibia.

[2] The holotype specimen of Susisuchus anatoceps includes a skull and lower jaw, forelimbs, parts of the axial skeleton, and some osteoderms.

Both species have a contact between the squamosal and parietal bones that is situated on the posterior border of the supratemporal fenestra, a hole in the skull table.

Because the width of the paravertebral shield was not compromised by this segmentation, the back would remain rigid enough to overcome the forces encountered during high-walking, or walking semi-erect.

[3] Susisuchus is closely related to Pachycheilosuchus from Glen Rose, Texas, United States, and Isisfordia from Winton, Queensland, Australia.

The presence of this feature in a crocodyliform with a tetraserial paravertebral shield is unusual, and has been used to erect the family Susisuchidae, of which Susisuchus is the only member.