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Mekosuchinae
Mekosuchinae is an extinct clade of crocodilians from the Cenozoic of Australasia. They represented the dominant group of crocodilians in the region during most of the Cenozoic, first appearing in the fossil record in the Eocene of Australia, and surviving until the arrival of humans: the Late Pleistocene on the Australian continent and during the Holocene in the Pacific islands of Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Mekosuchine crocodiles are a diverse group displaying a great variety of shapes and sizes. Some taxa, like ''Baru'' and ''Paludirex'', were large semi-aquatic ambush hunters, though the two genera likely differed significantly in their hunting methods. The medium-sized ''Australosuchus'' may have been relatively cold-resistant and taxa like ''Trilophosuchus'' and ''Mekosuchus'' are renowned for their small size. One of the most distinct mekosuchines was ''Quinkana'', with its altirostral (deep) skull and blade-like serrated teeth. There is some question around the lifest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quinkana
''Quinkana'' is an extinct genus of mekosuchine crocodylians that lived in Australia from about 25 million to about 10,000 years ago, with the majority of fossils having been found in Queensland. Four species are currently recognized, all of which have been named between 1981 and 1997. The two best understood species are ''Q. fortirostrum'', the type species, and ''Q. timara'', a more gracile form from the Miocene. The other two species, ''Q. babarra'' and ''Q. meboldi'', from the Pliocene and Oligocene respectively, are only known from a few poorly preserved bone fragments. The name ''Quinkana'' comes from the "Quinkans", a legendary folk spirit from Gugu-Yalanji mythology. ''Quinkana'' is primarily known for its ziphodont teeth, meaning they were recurved, serrated and possessed flattened sides that gave them a blade-like shape. However, technically such teeth are only known from two species, as the basalmost form lacked serrations while the holotype of ''Quinkana fortirostrum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ultrastenos
''Ultrastenos'' is an extinct genus of Australian mekosuchine crocodilian that lived during the Late Oligocene in northwestern Queensland, Australia. Following its discovery, it was speculated that ''Ultrastenos'' was a slender-snouted animal similar to modern gharials or freshwater crocodiles due to the seemingly abruptly narrowing mandible. However, a later study found that this was a misinterpretation of the fossil specimen and that ''Ultrastenos'' instead had a more generalized lower jaw. The same publication also provided evidence that the fossils of ''Ultrastenos'' belonged to the same animal previously named ''"Baru" huberi'', adding further evidence to the idea that the animal was short snouted, contrary to the initial hypothesis. Given that ''"Baru" huberi'' was named first, the type species of ''Ultrastenos'' changed from ''U. willisi'' to ''U. huberi'' in accordance with the rules of the ICZN. ''Ultrastenos'' was a small mekosuchine, measuring upwards of long. History ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kambara
''Kambara'' is an extinct genus of Mekosuchinae, mekosuchine Crocodilia, crocodylian that lived during the Eocene epoch in Australia. It is generally thought to have been a semi-aquatic generalist, living a lifestyle similar to many of today's crocodiles. Four species are currently recognised, the sympatric ''Kambara murgonensis'' and ''Kambara implexidens'' from sediments near Murgon, the poorly preserved ''Kambara molnari'' from the Rundle Formation and the youngest of the four, ''Kambara taraina'', also from the Rundle Formation. ''Kambara'' were medium-sized crocodilians, with mature specimens generally reaching lengths from . Species of ''Kambara'' are easiest differentiated by the different occlusal patterns of their teeth. While ''K. murgonensis'' had an overbite similar to a modern alligator, both ''K. implexidens'' and ''K. taraina'' had interlocking dentition much more similar to true crocodiles. ''K. molnari'', although incompletely known, seems to represent an interm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mekosuchus Inexpectatus
''Mekosuchus'' is a genus of extinct Australasian mekosuchine crocodilian. Species of ''Mekosuchus'' were generally small-sized (less than long), terrestrial animals with short, blunt-snouted heads and strong limbs. Four species are currently recognized, ''M. inexpectatus'', ''M. whitehunterensis'', ''M. sanderi'' and ''M. kalpokasi'', all known primarily from fragmentary remains. ''Mekosuchus'' was a successful and widespread genus, with its earliest members being found during the Oligocene and Miocene in mainland Australia. These species coexisted with a wide variety of other mekosuchines, forming a highly diverse crocodilian fauna including terrestrial hunters, semi-aquatic ambush predators and long-snouted fish eaters. The anatomy of the neck vertebrae of ''M. whitehunterensis'' might indicate that it was quite well adapted to stripping flesh from carcasses, using blade-like teeth and violent side-to-side thrashing. The younger two species were found on the Pacific islands ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mekosuchus
''Mekosuchus'' is a genus of extinct Australasian mekosuchine crocodilian. Species of ''Mekosuchus'' were generally small-sized (less than long), terrestrial animals with short, blunt-snouted heads and strong limbs. Four species are currently recognized, ''M. inexpectatus'', ''M. whitehunterensis'', ''M. sanderi'' and ''M. kalpokasi'', all known primarily from fragmentary remains. ''Mekosuchus'' was a successful and widespread genus, with its earliest members being found during the Oligocene and Miocene in mainland Australia. These species coexisted with a wide variety of other mekosuchines, forming a highly diverse crocodilian fauna including terrestrial hunters, semi-aquatic ambush predators and long-snouted fish eaters. The anatomy of the neck vertebrae of ''M. whitehunterensis'' might indicate that it was quite well adapted to stripping flesh from carcasses, using blade-like teeth and violent side-to-side thrashing. The younger two species were found on the Pacific islands ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Australosuchus
''Australosuchus'' is an extinct monospecific genus of crocodylian belonging to the subfamily Mekosuchinae. The type species, type and only known species ''Australosuchus clarkae'' lived during the Late Oligocene and the Early Miocene in the Lake Eyre Basin of South Australia. It was species description, described in 1991 by Paul Willis and Ralph Molnar from fossil material discovered at Lake Palankarinna. ''Australosuchus'' is among the mekosuchines with the southernmost distribution, being found exclusively at a latitude below 27°S, which is the basis for its scientific name meaning "southern crocodile". This range is peculiar, as no material of this species is known from any of the more northern localities, which are known from their highly diverse crocodilian fauna. Likewise, although crocodilian remains are common in the southern localities too, they seem to exclusively belong to ''Australosuchus'', not featuring any of the taxa present in areas such as the Riversleigh World ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trilophosuchus
''Trilophosuchus'' ("triple crest crocodile") is an extinct genus of mekosuchine crocodilian from Australia. Its fossils have been found at the Ringtail Site in the Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh), Riversleigh World Heritage Area (north-western Queensland) and date to the Miocene epoch. Additional remains have also been found at the older Hiatus Site and extend its range into the Oligocene. Like the closely related ''Mekosuchus'', it is thought to have had a short and blunt snout and large eyes that generally resembles today's dwarf crocodiles. It also shares similarities with several much older crocodylomorph groups and is commonly thought to have been more terrestrial than any crocodilian living today. Only a single species has been described, the type species ''T. rackhami''. History and naming ''Trilophosuchus'' is best known through holotype specimen Queensland Museum, QM F16856, which represents a partial skull missing the tip of the snout. Several other isolate ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paludirex
''Paludirex'' (meaning "swamp king") is an extinct genus of mekosuchine crocodylian from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Australia. A large and robust semi-aquatic ambush hunter capable of attaining lengths of up to , it was likely the top predator of Australia's waterways prior to the appearance of modern saltwater crocodiles. Two species are known, the smaller ''Paludirex gracilis'' and the larger ''Paludirex vincenti''. A third as of yet unnamed species may have also existed. The history of ''Paludirex'' is long and complicated, largely due to its connection with the historic genus ''Pallimnarchus''. While the name ''Pallimnarchus'' was coined in 1886, making it the first fossil crocodile named from Australia, this was done so merely out of convenience, and this initial description did not come with a proper diagnosis. Despite the lacking definition, subsequent authors referred more and more material to this genus, leading to several attempts at redefining it during the late 20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baru
''Baru'', sometimes referred to as the cleaver-headed crocodile, is an extinct genus of Australian mekosuchine crocodilian. Its fossils have been found from various Late Oligocene and Miocene localities from across the Northern Territory and Queensland, indicating that ''Baru'' was a common genus during the late Paleogene and early Neogene. Three species are recognized, ''B. darrowi'', ''B. iylwenpeny'', and ''B. wickeni''. ''Baru'' was a large and powerful mekosuchine with an incredibly deep and robust skull and long teeth with compressed crowns that in the case of ''Baru darrowi'' are furthermore adorned with minute serrations. At a length of around , it was among the largest crocodilians native to Australia at the time and the largest predator of its ecosystem. With dorsally oriented nostrils and eyes and a poor range of head movement, as well as its fossils being associated with freshwater environments, ''Baru'' is generally interpreted to have been a semi-aquatic ambush hunt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kalthifrons
''Kalthifrons'' is an extinct monospecific genus of mekosuchine crocodylian known from the Pliocene Tirari Formation of Australia. More specifically, ''Kalthifrons'' was recovered from the Mampuwordu Sand Member, which underlies the younger sediments of the Pompapillina Member. This is significant, as the latter preserves some of the earliest records of the genus ''Crocodylus'' in Australia, which would eventually go on to replace mekosuchines. It is currently unclear whether or not the Tirari ''Crocodylus'' directly outcompeted ''Kalthifrons'' or simply moved into the region after the niche was left empty by the extinction of the local mekosuchines. Should the later be the case, then ''Kalthifrons'' may have simply been the victim of global cooling and aridification. A point in favour of the competition hypothesis is that both ''Kalthifrons'' and the Tirari ''Crocodylus'' have broadly similar skull forms, with both being interpreted as generalist semi-aquatic predators much like m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Volia
''Volia'' is an extinct monospecific genus of mekosuchine crocodylian closely related to '' Mekosuchus'' and '' Trilophosuchus''. ''Volia'' is known from a collection of largely fragmentary remains including skull bones and limbs recovered from the Voli Voli and Wainibuku Caves on Viti Levu (Fiji), with similar remains having been found on Naigani. It was around long, making it the largest predatory animal on the island and subsequently most likely the apex predator of the Pleistocene ecosystems of Fiji. It may have fed on giant iguanas, flightless birds or even fish. Like its closest relatives, it may have been more terrestrial than today's crocodiles. History and naming Fossils of ''Volia athollandersoni'', the type and currently only known species, have been found in the Voli-Voli and Wainibuku Caves of Viti Levu Island. The remains were uncovered when paleontologist Trevor Worthy and archaeologist Atholl Anderson searched Viti Levu for potential fossil deposits in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
High Walk
Crocodilia () is an Order (biology), order of semiaquatic, predatory reptiles that are known as crocodilians. They first appeared during the Late Cretaceous and are the closest living relatives of birds. Crocodilians are a type of crocodylomorph pseudosuchian, a subset of archosaurs that appeared about 235 million years ago and were the only survivors of the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event. While other crocodylomorph groups further survived the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, notably sebecosuchians, only the crocodilians have survived into the Quaternary. The order includes the crocodile, true crocodiles (Family (biology), family Crocodylidae), the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae), and the gharial and false gharial (family Gavialidae). Although the term "crocodiles" is sometimes used to refer to all of these families, the term "crocodilians" is less ambiguous. Extant crocodilians have flat heads with long snouts and tails that are compressed on the si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
