Shamosuchus
Encyclopedia
Shamosuchus is an extinct genus
of neosuchian crocodile
that lived during the Late Cretaceous
(Santonian
-Maastrichtian
) period in what is now the Gobi desert
of Mongolia
, approximately 85 to 65 million years ago. The teeth were adapted to crush bivalves, gastropods and other animals with a shell or exoskeleton
. The genus was named in 1926 by Charles C. Mook.
Most of the information on this genus comes from the type species
S. djadochtaensis, including a well preserved skull. The eye and nasal openings were not raised above the skull as in modern crocodilians, so that the animal would have to raise its head completely out of the water to breathe . As this cranial morphology does not suit an ambush predator, it lends support to the idea of a diet of aquatic invertebrates.
The genus Paralligator, named in 1954, was synonymized with Shamosuchus in 1983. Several species of Paralligator, including P. gradilifrons and P. sungaricus, have been reassigned as species of Shamosuchus. "P". sungaricus is known from the Early Cretaceous
Nenjiang Formation in Jilin Province, China
.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of neosuchian crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
that lived during the Late Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous
The Late Cretaceous is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous period is divided in the geologic timescale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous series...
(Santonian
Santonian
The Santonian is an age in the geologic timescale or a chronostratigraphic stage. It is a subdivision of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series. It spans the time between 85.8 ± 0.7 mya and 83.5 ± 0.7 mya...
-Maastrichtian
Maastrichtian
The Maastrichtian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the latest age or upper stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series, the Cretaceous period or system, and of the Mesozoic era or erathem. It spanned from 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma...
) period in what is now the Gobi desert
Gobi Desert
The Gobi is a large desert region in Asia. It covers parts of northern and northwestern China, and of southern Mongolia. The desert basins of the Gobi are bounded by the Altai Mountains and the grasslands and steppes of Mongolia on the north, by the Hexi Corridor and Tibetan Plateau to the...
of Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, approximately 85 to 65 million years ago. The teeth were adapted to crush bivalves, gastropods and other animals with a shell or exoskeleton
Exoskeleton
An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton of, for example, a human. In popular usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of exoskeleton animals include insects such as grasshoppers...
. The genus was named in 1926 by Charles C. Mook.
Most of the information on this genus comes from the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
S. djadochtaensis, including a well preserved skull. The eye and nasal openings were not raised above the skull as in modern crocodilians, so that the animal would have to raise its head completely out of the water to breathe . As this cranial morphology does not suit an ambush predator, it lends support to the idea of a diet of aquatic invertebrates.
The genus Paralligator, named in 1954, was synonymized with Shamosuchus in 1983. Several species of Paralligator, including P. gradilifrons and P. sungaricus, have been reassigned as species of Shamosuchus. "P". sungaricus is known from the Early Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous
The Early Cretaceous or the Lower Cretaceous , is the earlier or lower of the two major divisions of the Cretaceous...
Nenjiang Formation in Jilin Province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.