Lemmysuchus

Name: Lemmysuchus ‭(‬Lemmy’s crocodile‭)‬.
Phonetic: Lem-me-soo-kus.
Named By: Michela M.‭ ‬Johnson,‭ ‬Mark T.‭ ‬Young,‭ ‬Lorna Steel,‭ ‬Davide Foffa,‭ ‬Adam S.‭ ‬Smith,‭ ‬Stephane Hua,‭ ‬Philipe Havlik,‭ ‬Eliza A.‭ ‬Howlett‭ & ‬Gareth Dyke.‭ ‬-‭ ‬2017.
Synonyms: Steneosaurus obtusidens.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Thalattosuchia,‭ ‬Teleosauridae,‭ ‬Machimosaurini.
Species: L.‭ ‬obtusidens‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Carnivore/Piscivore.
Size: Skull about‭ ‬1‭ ‬meter long.‭ ‬Total body length estimated at‭ ‬5.8‭ ‬meters.
Known locations: England‭ ‬-‭ ‬Oxford Clay Formation.
Time period: Callovian of the Jurassic.
Fossil representation: Skull and partial post cranial skeletal remains.




       Originally named as a species of Steneosaurus,‭ ‬S.‭ ‬obtusidens was renamed as a distinct genus in‭ ‬2017.‭ ‬The describers created the name Lemmysuchus which means‭ ‘‬Lemmy’s crocodile‭’‬.‭ ‬This was in honour of Ian Fraser Kilmister,‭ ‬the lead singer and founder of the band Mot�rhead,‭ ‬who everyone knew as Lemmy.
       Lemmysuchus was a thalattosuchian,‭ ‬more loosely known as sea crocodile,‭ ‬though not technically related to modern crocodiles.‭ ‬Further to this,‭ ‬Lemmysuchus was a teleosaurid,‭ ‬meaning that it would have retained some terrestrial features and‭ ‬still been able to comfortably move about on land as well as in the water.‭ ‬As such,‭ ‬Lemmysuchus probably roamed about coastal lagoons and coastlines hunting for whatever creatures it could catch.‭ ‬The stronger skull and jaws of Lemmysuchus compared to other teleosaurid genera,‭ ‬suggest that Lemmysuchus could more easily crunch through armoured prey such as turtles and crabs.‭ ‬Relative teleosaurid genera however are more gharial like with long slender jaws more suited to softer prey such as fish.‭

Further reading
-‭ ‬On some new Steneosaurs from the Oxford Clay of Peterborough.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Annals and Magazine of Natural History.‭ ‬3‭ (‬15‭)‬:‭ ‬299‭–‬308.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Andrews C.‭ ‬W.‭ ‬-‭ ‬1909.
-‭ ‬Re-description of‭ '‬Steneosaurus‭' ‬obtusidens Andrews,‭ ‬1909,‭ ‬an unusual macrophagous teleosaurid crocodylomorph from the Middle Jurassic of England.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.‭ ‬182‭ (‬2‭)‬:‭ ‬385‭–‬418.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Michela M.‭ ‬Johnson,‭ ‬Mark T.‭ ‬Young,‭ ‬Lorna Steel,‭ ‬Davide Foffa,‭ ‬Adam S.‭ ‬Smith,‭ ‬Stephane Hua,‭ ‬Philipe Havlik,‭ ‬Eliza A.‭ ‬Howlett‭ & ‬Gareth Dyke.‭ ‬-‭ ‬2017.



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