A phylogenetic analysis conducted by Li et al. (2012) in the original description of Diandongosuchus showed that it was the most basal member of a clade called Poposauroidea, which includes mostly terrestrial pseudosuchians such as the bipedal Poposaurus and the sail-backed Arizonasaurus.
However, more recent studies have found it to be a basal phytosaur [REF].