Ogresuchus

O-ger-su-kus.
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Emily Green

Paleobotanist

Emily Green brings the ancient world of plants to life through her insightful research and engaging writing. Her expertise lies in examining how prehistoric vegetation influenced climate patterns and animal evolution.

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Name

Ogresuchus ‭(‬Ogre crocodile‭)‬.

Phonetic

O-ger-su-kus.

Named By

Albert G.‭ ‬Sell�s,‭ ‬Alejandro Blanco,‭ ‬Bernat Vila,‭ ‬Josep Marmi,‭ ‬Francisco J.‭ ‬L�pez-Soriano,‭ ‬Sergio Ll�cer,‭ ‬Jaime Frigola,‭ ‬Miquel Canals‭ & ‬�ngel Galobart‭ ‬-‭ ‬2020.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Suchia,‭ ‬Crocodylomorpha,‭ ‬Crocodyliformes,‭ ‬Sebecosuchia,‭ ‬Sebecia,‭ ‬Sebecidae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

O.‭ ‬furatus‭

Size

Holotype roughly estimated to be about‭ ‬90‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Spain‭ ‬-‭ ‬Tremp Formation.

Time Period

Maastrichtian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

Partial skull and post cranial remains.

In Depth

       Ogresuchus is a genus of sebecosuchian crocodile and a very important one‭; ‬Ogresuchus is the first known of its kind discovered in a Mesozoic aged deposit,‭ ‬in this instance the very latest stage of the‭ ‬Cretaceous.‭ ‬This clearly indicates that the Sebecosuchians clearly had their origins in the Mesozoic,‭ ‬though not coming to prominence until later in the early stages of the Cenozoic.‭ ‬Ogresuchus is expected to have been a predator of small animals,‭ ‬perhaps even the infant juveniles of the late Cretaceous dinosaurs.

Further reading

-‭ ‬A small Cretaceous crocodyliform in a dinosaur nesting ground and the origin of sebecids.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Scientific Reports volume‭ ‬10,‭ ‬Article number:‭ ‬15293.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Albert G.‭ ‬Sell�s,‭ ‬Alejandro Blanco,‭ ‬Bernat Vila,‭ ‬Josep Marmi,‭ ‬Francisco J.‭ ‬L�pez-Soriano,‭ ‬Sergio Ll�cer,‭ ‬Jaime Frigola,‭ ‬Miquel Canals‭ & ‬�ngel Galobart‭ ‬-‭ ‬2020.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT