| Baurusuchus Temporal range: Late Cretaceous | |
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| An artist's illustration of Baurusuchus pachechoi | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Superorder: | Crocodylomorpha |
| Family: | †Baurusuchidae |
| Subfamily: | †Baurusuchinae |
| Genus: | †Baurusuchus Price, 1945 |
| Referred species | |
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Baurusuchus (Bauru Crocodile) is a extinct notosuchian crocodylomorph discovered in Brazil. It was a large terrestrial predator, about 3.5–4 metres in length and weigh 500 lb.
Description[]
Baurusuchus lived during Turonian to Santonian stages (90-83 mya) of the Late Cretaceous period, in Admantina Formation, Brazil. It gets its name from the Brazilian Bauru Group. It was related to the earlier-named Cynodontosuchus rothi, which was smaller with weaker definition. The three species are:
- B. pachecoi (Price, 1945)
- B. salgadoensis (Carvalho et al., 2005)
- B. albertoi (Nascimento & Zaher, 2010)
Baurusuchus's relatives include the similar-sized Stratiotosuchus from the Admantina Formation, and Pabweshi, from the Pakistan Pab Formation. All prehistoric crocodilans weren't necessarily restricted to river environments, the fact is that these ancient reptiles could be every bit as diverse as their dinosaur relatives when it comes to lifestyle and habitat. Baurusuchus is a great example,
Baurusuchus eating a turtle
Baurusuchus skull
this South American crocodilian, which lived during the Cretaceous, possessed long, dog-like legs and a heavy, powerful skull with its nostrils placed on the front end, indications that it actively prowled the early pampas rather than snapping at its prey from the water. As the similarly of Baurusuchus to another terrestrial crocodilian from Pakistan is further proof that the Indian subcontinent was once joined to the giant southern continent of Gondwanaland.