Anatosuchus

Ah-nat-oh-sook-‭ ‬us.
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John Stewart

Paleoecologist

John Stewart is a distinguished paleoecologist whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of prehistoric ecosystems. With over two decades dedicated to unearthing fossils across Asia and Africa

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Name

Anatosuchus‭ (‬Duck crocodile‭)‬.

Phonetic

Ah-nat-oh-sook-‭ ‬us.

Named By

P. C. Sereno, C. A. Sidor, H. C. E. Larsson & B. Gado - 2003.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Sauropsida,‭ ‬Archosauromorpha,‭ ‬Crocodylomorpha.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

A.‭ ‬minor

Size

Estimated‭ ‬70‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Niger,‭ ‬Echkar Formation,‭ ‬Elrhaz Formation.

Time Period

Aptian to Albian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Complete skull.

In Depth

       Anatosuchus was a small terrestrial crocodile with‭ ‬had‭ ‬a very specialised skull morphology,‭ ‬the result of which has been the nick name‭ ‘‬Duck croc‭’‬.‭ ‬The jaws resemble the bill of a duck with a single pointed protrusion extending from the front of the snout.‭ ‬It has been proposed that this protuberance was used to root out small prey items.

Further Reading

– A new notosuchian from the Early Cretaceous of Niger. – Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 23(2):477-482. – P. C. Sereno, C. A. Sidor, H. C. E. Larsson & B. Gado – 2003.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT