Terrestrisuchus

Name: Terrestrisuchus ‭(‬Land crocodile‭)‬.
Phonetic: Ter-ress-tree-soo-kus.
Named By: Crush‭ ‬-‭ ‬1984.
Classification: Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Archosauria,‭ ‬Crocodylomorpha,‭ ‬Sphenosuchia.
Species: T.‭ ‬gracilis‭ (‬type‭)‬.
Diet: Insectivore/Carnivore.
Size: About‭ ‬50‭ ‬centimetres long.
Known locations: England‭ ‬-‭ ‬Cromhall Quarry,‭ ‬Wales‭ ‬-‭ ‬Pant-y-ffynnon Quarry.
Time period: Rhaetian of the Triassic.
Fossil representation: Several individuals.

       Terrestrisuchus was a small crocodylomorph that was well suited to life on land.‭ ‬The legs were fairly long and supported the body from underneath rather than from the sides and the feet were digitigrade,‭ ‬meaning that Terrestrisuchus walked on its toes.‭ ‬This meant that Terrestrisuchus was a fairly quick and agile predator of small organisms like insects and lizards.
       The validity of Terrestrisuchus has been questioned since it has been suggested to be the juvenile form of Saltoposuchus.‭ ‬If ever proven,‭ ‬this would see Terrestrisuchus fossils and sources being referenced to point towards Saltoposuchus.

Further reading
-‭ ‬When Terrestrisuchus gracilis reaches puberty it becomes Saltoposuchus connectens‭!. -‭ ‬D.‭ ‬Allen‭ ‬-‭ ‬2003.

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