• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.

Deinosuchus, a crocodile that was the size of a bus and ate dinosaurs

Forerunner

Forerunner

Resetufologist
The Fallen
Oct 30, 2017
14,573
www.npr.org

'Teeth The Size Of Bananas'; New Study Paints Picture Of 'Terror Crocodiles'

A new study reveals there were multiple species of Deinosuchus, the giant crocodylians that lived 75 million years ago. They were among the largest predators in the ecosystem and ate dinosaurs.
www.npr.org www.npr.org

uFRp6tq8FMchbEcZciUWR6-650-80.jpg.webp


Enormous "terror crocodiles" once roamed the earth and preyed on dinosaurs, according to a new study revisiting fossils from the gigantic Late Cretaceous crocodylian, Deinosuchus.

The research, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, reiterates that Deinosuchus were among the largest crocodylians ever in existence, reaching up to 33 feet in length. New in this study is a look at the anatomy of the Deinosuchus, which was achieved by piecing together various specimens unknown until now, giving a fuller picture of the animal.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

"Until now, the complete animal was unknown," Cossette said. "These new specimens we've examined reveal a bizarre, monstrous predator with teeth the size of bananas."

Past studies on cranial remains and bite marks on dinosaur bones led paleontologists to believe the massive Deinosuchus were an opportunistic predator, according to the press release. Fossil specimens now make it clear that Deinosuchus did indeed have the head size and jaw strength to have its pick of prey, including large dinosaurs.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Despite the nickname "terror crocodiles," Brochu said Deinosuchus were more closely related to alligators than to crocodiles but "didn't look like either one of them."

Deinosuchus had a snout that was long and broad, with the front appearing inflated unlike any other living or extinct crocodylian. On the tip of the snout is a large pair of holes. Researchers are still unsure of their function.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

"Crocodiles are actually these incredibly dynamic creatures that have experienced incredible evolutionary histories, have lived in places that modern crocodiles don't live, done things that modern crocodiles don't do and have grown to sizes that modern crocodiles never achieve. That I think is the cool part [of the study], at least for me," Cossette added.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

5vFMNri2PKbRYwdDC8SmZkVlEtiPtP3HyDV2PeGw2-mU_sUs_Ee8Pn3a1DkiFk9t7ORZm6kJgW1oErUhHyDGyIDnA2N9jk-Ixd6euqxK3uc6xcWYndVSETGK6KhpzAjAJF2eMiS4KAw
 
Saya

Saya

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,972
Giant crocs scare me so much. They caught this maneater recently in indonesia.

Don't watch the other tweets, they are nsfl. Unless you got the stomach for it.

 
Griselbrand

Griselbrand

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,237
Damn, time really did a number on gators and sharks huh, basically said "what if but small?" as time rolled on
 
Aaronrules380

Aaronrules380

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
22,429
Invisible Cities said:
Man lazy ass crocodilians really haven't changed at all.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
There have actually been a huge number of wildly diverse crocs throughout the history of the planet, it's just none of the other variations ended up proving successful compared to their competition and so only the standard crocs have survived to this day. But stuff like the boar croc (pictured below), and hooved crocs and vegetarian crocs all existed
BoarCroc2.jpg
 
The Albatross

The Albatross

Member
Oct 25, 2017
38,981
Aaronrules380 said:
There have actually been a huge number of wildly diverse crocs throughout the history of the planet, it's just none of the other variations ended up proving successful compared to their competition and so only the standard crocs have survived to this day. But stuff like the boar croc (pictured below), and hooved crocs and vegetarian crocs all existed
BoarCroc2.jpg
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

please, no game of thrones pics, this is a thread about crocs
 
Caz

Caz

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,055
Canada
I love the surprised expression T-Rex has in the above image.
uFRp6tq8FMchbEcZciUWR6-650-80.jpg.webp

"My arms won't save me from this!"
 
Mandos

Mandos

Member
Nov 27, 2017
30,885
Aaronrules380 said:
There have actually been a huge number of wildly diverse crocs throughout the history of the planet, it's just none of the other variations ended up proving successful compared to their competition and so only the standard crocs have survived to this day. But stuff like the boar croc (pictured below), and hooved crocs and vegetarian crocs all existed
BoarCroc2.jpg
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
If these still existed I'm pretty sure Florida man wouldn't be a thing
 

Deleted member 60295

User requested account closure
Banned
Sep 28, 2019
1,489
Mandos said:
If these still existed I'm pretty sure Florida man wouldn't be a thing
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

They do though. Sort of. It's just that modern day alligators are fucking afraid of humans. Well, except when they're on land, and they get super docile and dopey for some weird reason. Almost like whatever is responsible for creating Florida Man is affecting them too.




Now, their crocodile cousins elsewhere across the planet? They don't fuck around. And humans that live near them and aren't idiots know to stay away, lest they become one of the thousand yearly victims of crocodile attacks.
 
TheDinoman

TheDinoman

Member
Oct 25, 2017
17,092
I love extinct animals that are basically just living animals today but way larger

Like how the Megalodon was just an oversized great white shark
 
You must log in or register to reply here.