Elosuchus

E-lo-su-kuss.
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Maeve Foster

Paleoclimatologist

Maeve Foster explores the Earth's climatic past to understand the forces that shaped life on our planet. Her research into ancient climate events provides valuable context for current environmental challenges.

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Name

Elosuchus.

Phonetic

E-lo-su-kuss.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Crocodyliformes,‭ ‬Pholidosauridae.

Diet

Carnivore/piscivore

Species

E.‭ ‬cherifiensis‭

Size

Unavailable.

Known locations

Algeria‭ ‬-‭ ‬Continental Intercalaire Formation.‭ ‬Morocco‭ ‬-‭ ‬Ifezouane Formation,‭ ‬Kem Kem Formation.‭

Time Period

Albian/Cenomanian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

‭P‬artial remains of several individuals.

In Depth

       Originally described as a species of Thoracosaurus,‭ ‬T.‭ ‬cherifiensis was established as a distinct genus in‭ ‬2002,‭ ‬creating Elosuchus.‭ ‬Elosuchus was a marine crocodile that that possibly spent most of its life in the water.‭ ‬The gharial‭ ‬-like snout is suggestive that Elosuchus was more of a fish hunter.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Elosuchus,‭ ‬a new genus of crocodile from the Lower Cretaceous of the north of Africa.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Comptes Rendus Palevol‭ ‬1:275-285‭ ‬-‭ ‬F.‭ ‬de Lapparent de Broin‭ ‬-‭ ‬2002. -‭ ‬Revision and phylogenetic affinities of Elosuchus‭ (‬Crocodyliformes‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.‭ ‬179‭ (‬1‭) ‬-‭ ‬Louise M.‭ ‬V.‭ ‬Meunier‭; ‬Hans C.‭ ‬E.‭ ‬Larsson‭ ‬-‭ ‬2016 – Revision of the enigmatic crocodyliform Elosuchus felixi de Lapparent de Broin, 2002 from the Lower–Upper Cretaceous boundary of Niger: potential evidence for an early origin of the clade Dyrosauridae. – Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. – Mark T. Young, Alexander K. Hastings, Ronan Allain & Thomas J. Smith – 2016.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT