Deinosuchus is an extinct genus of crocodilian related to the modern alligator. It lived 82 to 73 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous period. It was far larger than any modern crocodile or alligator, with the largest adults measuring 12 meters in total length. It may have lived for up to 50 years, growing at a rate similar to that of modern crocodilians, but maintaining this growth over a much longer time.
About Deinosuchus in brief
Deinosuchus is an extinct genus of crocodilian related to the modern alligator. It lived 82 to 73 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous period. It was far larger than any modern crocodile or alligator, with the largest adults measuring 12 meters in total length. It had large, robust teeth built for crushing, and its back was covered with thick hemispherical osteoderms. It may have lived for up to 50 years, growing at a rate similar to that of modern crocodilians, but maintaining this growth over a much longer time. It reached its largest size in its western habitat, but the eastern populations were far more abundant. It probably killed and ate large dinosaurs, and may have also fed upon sea turtles, fish, and other aquatic and terrestrial prey. Its secondary palate and procoelous vertebrae are advanced features also found in modern eusuchian crocodiles. The skull was of a unique shape not seen in any other living or extinct crocodilian. Two holes in the premaxilla in front of the nares are present in this genus and are unique autapomorphies not seen in other crocodilists, but nothing is known at present regarding their function. It could have walked on land, despite its bulk, and had a secondary bony palate, which would have permitted it to breathe through its nostrils while the rest of the head remained submerged underwater. It has been argued that even the largest and strongest theropod dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus, probably had bite forces inferior to those of Deinosuchu.
The large size of Deuchus has generally been recognized despite the fragmentary nature of the fossils. However estimates of how large it really was have varied considerably over the years. The original estimate of how big it was was considerably over 1954, and the original estimate for its size was considerably less than the current estimate. The name translates as ‘terrible crocodile’ and is derived from the Greek deinos, “terrible” and soukhos, “crocodile”. The fossils have been described from 10 U.S. states, including Texas, Montana, and many along the East Coast. It also lived on both sides of the Western Interior Seaway, and was an opportunistic apex predator in the coastal regions of eastern North America. Fossils have also been found in northern Mexico. It is unclear whether these two populations represent separate species, and opinion remains divided as to whether they were separate species. The vertebraes were articulated in a pro coelous manner, meaning they had a concave hollow on the front end and a convex bulge on the rear; these would have fit together to produce a ball and socket joint. The teeth were very thick and robust; those close to the rear of the jaws were short, rounded, and blunt. When the mouth was closed, only the fourth tooth of the lower jaw would have been visible.
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This page is based on the article Deinosuchus published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 02, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
