Historical crocodile relative might have ripped dinosaurs aside

An historical crocodile relative that lived round 70 million years in the past was most likely such a formidable predator that it might have eaten medium-sized dinosaurs for breakfast.

“Its giant enamel had serrated edges like steak knives, which is a powerful sign that this animal might tear by way of muscle and bone, most likely looking small-to-medium-sized dinosaurs or different giant prey,” says Diego Pol at the Nationwide Council for Scientific and Technical Analysis in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Kostensuchus atrox, which in life would have been about 3.5 metres lengthy and weighed round 250 kilograms, was present in March 2020 in southern Patagonia. The fossil included a fantastically preserved cranium and elements of the predator’s skeleton.

Its genus identify comes from the Patagonian wind referred to as the kosten and the Egyptian crocodile-headed god referred to as Souchos, with atrox that means fierce or harsh in Greek.

It lived on the finish of the Cretaceous and is from a bunch of crocodile kin referred to as the peirosaurid crocodyliforms, which didn’t survive the extinction occasion 66 million years in the past that additionally worn out most dinosaurs.

In contrast to trendy crocodiles, which have lengthy, flat snouts, Kostensuchus had a excessive, huge and very sturdy cranium constructed for sheer energy, says Pol. Its limbs had been extra elongated than these of recent crocodiles, suggesting that it was able to extra agile motion on land.

“Their physique proportions and cranium form counsel they might transfer higher on land and should have hunted on land too,” he says. “The cranium of Kostensuchus is far broader and extra sturdy than that of any residing crocodile.”

One other indicator that Kostensuchus was extra tailored for a life on land than trendy crocodiles is that its nostrils had been positioned on the entrance of the snout, not on prime of the cranium, which suggests it wouldn’t have been capable of breathe and maintain most of its physique submerged on the identical time.

It had greater than 50 sharp, serrated enamel, some over 5 centimetres lengthy. Pol says these enamel weren’t only for gripping, but in addition for slicing by way of muscle.

“The again finish of its decrease jaw suggests it had huge jaw-closing muscle groups and probably the most highly effective bites of its ecosystem,” he says. “These traits helped us to position it as a prime predator, coexisting with giant meat-eating dinosaurs.”

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