Dakosaurus

Live reconstruction of Dakosaurus maximus

• Europe
• Argentina

Dakosaurus was a marine representative of the crocodiles and thus a relative of these animals with unusually short snout, from the middle of the Upper Jurassic ( Kimmeridgian ) has lived up to the Lower Cretaceous ( Aptian ). Fossils have been found in Europe and Argentina.

Discovery and first description

The genus was erected in 1856 by Friedrich August von Quenstedt the basis of an isolated, as previously described by Plieninger Geosaurus maximus tooth.

The largest of the three valid species Dakosaurus andiniensis, was found in 1996 by students of the Universidad de Buenos Aires in the Argentine Patagonia. Among them was a completely preserved fossil skull. From the scientists involved in the investigation of the Fund received, due to its unusually short snout for a crocodile nicknamed " Godzilla ". In 2006 he was scientifically described in the journal Science of the paleontologist Zulma Gasparini of the Universidad Nacional de La Plata and D. Pol and LA Spalletti.

From Dakosaurus andiniensis total of three individuals were discovered, one on farmland in the province of Mendoza, and two more in a rock formation of the Province of Neuquén. This region was once flooded by the Pacific Ocean.

Description

In D. andiniensis it was a purely marine animal. Of his ancestors, the species differs mainly in the form of massive skull that looks more like a carnivorous dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex, as other crocodiles. The pine was a meter long and with up to 10 cm long, pointed teeth.

The skull and dentition suggest that D. andiniensis, as opposed to simultaneously living relatives, no (or little ) fish, but marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs and other large marine species hunted. In his life he rather resembled other large prey hunting marine creatures, such as the Great White Shark or Orca.

D. andiniensis was up to six feet long. Unlike the recent crocodiles his feet to paddle -like fins were redesigned, which probably served to stability while swimming. For driving caused the tail.