Anteophthalmosuchus
Name:
Anteophthalmosuchus
(Forward eye pointing crocodile).
Phonetic: An-te-off-fal-mo-soo-kus.
Named By: Steven W. Salisbury & Darren
Naish - 2011.
Synonyms: Leiokarinosuchus brookensis
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia,
Crocodylomorpha, Goniopholididae.
Species: A. hooleyi (type), A.
escuchae, A.
epikrator.
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: About 3.5 to 4 meters long.
Known locations: England - Wealdon Group.
Time period: Valanginian to Barremian of the
Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: At least two skulls.
Anteophthalmosuchus
fossils were originally attributed to Goniopholis crassidens,
another
genus of prehistoric crocodile
from across Europe and Asia. A new
study over a century later however found the fossils to actually belong
to a distinct genus of crocodile rather than the type species of
Goniopholis.
Anteophthalmosuchus
was chosen as the name of the genus because the eye sockets are
positioned so that the eyes faced directly forwards instead of up.
Another interesting feature, or rather lack of, is that the
mandibular fenestra (an opening in the posterior region of the lower
jaw) that is common in many crocodiles is missing.
Further reading
- European Goniopholididae from the Early Albian Escucha Formation in
Ari�o (Teruel, Arag�n, Espa�a). - Spanish Journal of Palaeontology. 28
(1): 103–122. - A. D. Buscalioni, L. Alcal�, E. Esp�lez & L.
Mampel - 2013.
- A new species of Anteophthalmosuchus (Crocodylomorpha,
Goniopholididae) from the Lower Cretaceous of the Isle of Wight, United
Kingdom, and a review of the genus. - Cretaceous Research. 84: 340–383.
- J. Ristevski, M. T. Young, M. B. de Andrade & A. K. Hastings
- 2017.
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