Machimosaurus

Fossil of Machimosaurus in Teylers Museum, Haarlem.

• Europe

Machimosaurus is one of three marine crocodile species in the Upper Jurassic period about 150 million years. At that time sea levels were much higher than today and Europe consisted of many islands and island groups. Between them lay a vast shallow sea.

Machimosaurus has become known in many parts of Europe mainly by tooth finds, for example, in England, NW- Germany, Pomerania, France, Portugal and Switzerland. To date, only his skull could be reconstructed on the basis of jaw and skull remains from Switzerland, Portugal and France.

Adult specimens probably reached body lengths up to 9.5 meters. Although the snout form of Machimosaurus reminiscent of a gavialartiges crocodile, but is built much more massive, as are the teeth that appear extremely wide and also massive. As with Steneosaurus, another marine crocodile that time, the teeth are different in the jaw. The fangs of the tip of the snout are long, narrow and pointed, while on the other hand all the others are cone-shaped and dull. Quite typical is furrowed by longitudinal strip surface.

Machimosaurus went to the open sea and was specialized in hard-shelled prey, such as the large sea turtles that time. This is supported by findings of Machimosaurus along with armor plates of sea turtles. With its conical teeth he could easily crack the turtle shell. Therefore, many of the found anti-tank or anti-tank residues show bite injuries. Some turtles had escaped after an attack with their lives. This is proven bite injuries healed partially. Machimosaurus will have but does not disdain even the large ammonites and fish of the Upper Jurassic.