Sarcosuchus
Imperator replica of a Sarcosuchus
Sarcosuchus is an extinct genus of crocodiles ( Crocodilia ). These were an animal with a body length of up to 12 meters, which lived during the early Cretaceous and lower ( Albian to Cenomanian ) in Africa today. In the English-speaking world it was under the name " Supercroc " popular.
Features
Sarcosuchus imperator, the only species was previously found in two places in Africa and first described in 1964 on the basis of skull remains from the Ténéré Desert in Niger. A more detailed presentation with the skeletons of five adult individuals, including a complete skull, as well as young animals took place in 2001, also from fluvial deposits from the Lower Cretaceous ( Apt / Alb) Niger.
The narrow snout of the animal accounted for approximately 75% of the approximately 1.6 -meter-long skull. But it was also significantly wider than in the living today gavials and other schmalschnäuziger crocodiles. The dentition consisted of both sides five large teeth in the premaxilla, 30 teeth on both sides in the main part of the upper jaw ( maxilla ) and 31 teeth on both sides of the lower jaw, in which individual teeth were significantly increased. A tooth gap, as in the extant rights crocodiles ( Crocodylidae ), see the enlarged teeth of the opposite side of space, there was not. The lower jaw was cut by 10 cm with respect to the upper jaw and is overlapped at the front end thereof. The nasal cavity at the end of the snout was enlarged striking.
As a body length for Sarcosuchus a maximum length 11-12 meters was extrapolated from the skull measurements, accurate data is not possible because so far there is no complete skeleton. With these dimensions, the type is one of the largest known to date Crocodylia, only for Rhamphosuchus from the Pliocene of India, Deinosuchus from the Late Cretaceous, and Purussaurus Mourasuchus from South America, and Gavialosuchus from North America, similar proportions are assumed. However, the known by only a few finds forms like Purussaurus could have been even much larger than Sarcosuchus. Individual bones of Purussaurus suggest animals with a length of 17 meters; such a crocodile would have been as big and heavy as a smaller bull sperm whale. The weight of Sarcosuchus should have been about eight tons and the maximum size is reached the analysis of thin sections of osteoderms ( bony plates in the carapace ) suggest that around the age of 50 to 60 years.
Way of life
Sarcosuchus imperator was an amphibious inhabitants of fresh waters and probably of brackish water. Its at the top relatively broad snout and large, rounded and living for a exclusively of fish Crocodylia in relation to short teeth, as well as his body measurements are characterized him as a robber with a wide range of prey. He presented well not only fishing for, but made like the modern Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus ) on the shore also hunt larger animals, including probably dinosaurs.
System
Sereno et al. 2001 tried to determine on the basis of the available bone them the closer relationship of Sarcosuchus imperator. The most talked features for classification in the Neosuchia ( formerly part of the Mesosuchia ), ie the modern crocodile forms. Due to similarities in skull structure, especially the widened nasal cavity and the elongated snout, the North American crocodile Terminonaris is assumed to be sister species. Also in the close relationship also has probably Pholidosaurus and Dyrosaurus why the entire group is known as Pholidosauridae. Unlike Sarcosuchus are all these types of fish -eaters that lived on the sea shores. If confirmed, this relationship hypothesis, it can be assumed that Sarcosuchus has evolved to adapt to a new habitat in the rivers.
The following cladogram shows the relationship hypothesis by Sereno et al. 2001:
Sunosuchus
Goniopholis
Pholidosauris
Dyrosaurus
Terminonaris
Sarcosuchus
Modern Crocodilia ( crocodiles, among others today )