Saltoposuchus
Name:
Saltoposuchus
(Leaping crocodile).
Phonetic: Salt-o-po-soo-kus.
Named By: Frederich von Huene - 1921.
Classification: Chordata, Reptilia,
Archosauria, Crocodylomorpha, Sphenosuchia.
Species: S. connectens
(type).
Diet: Carnivore.
Size: Estimated about 1 to 1.5 meters long.
Known locations: Germany and Switzerland.
Time period: Norian of the Triassic.
Fossil representation: Partial remains.
Saltoposuchus
was not like todays crocodiles, in fact it was more like a small
theropod dinosaur. The hind legs were long which meant that fast
running speeds were theoretically possible, though the fore limbs may
have still served a weight bearing function, perhaps when at rest.
The teeth in the mouth were small and adapted to facilitate prey
capture of small vertebrates like lizards. The long legs of
Saltoposuchus would have given it a speed advantage
when chasing prey
across open ground since it could cover more distance with each stride.
There
has been past speculation that Saltoposuchus and Terrestrisuchus
may in fact represent the same genus (the latter being the juvenile
form), though at the time of writing there remains few definitive
conclusions regarding this. As of 2012 Terrestrisuchus
us still
widely treated as a valid genus. Fossils of Saltoposuchus
have also
been previously considered to have been mistakenly assigned to other
genera, including the dinosaur Procompsognathus.
Further reading
- The Triassic reptilian order Thecodontia, Frederich von Huene
- 1922.
- When Terrestrisuchus gracilis reaches puberty
it becomes
Saltoposuchus connectens!, D. Allen -
2003.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Random favourites
 |
 |
 |