Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni is an extinct species of crocodile that lived in Kenya during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epoch. Its appearance is reminiscent to that of modern crocodiles.
Description[]
Crocodylus thorbjarnsoni by Lamborlobator
Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni was a large crocodilian, in fact, it is the largest member of the genus Crocodylus ever discovered, rivaling even the largest saltwater crocodiles in size. This animal's jaws were also wider than other crocodilians, making them appear much more like their distant relatives the alligatorids.
Paleoecology[]
Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni was an apex predator in its region, its close relative, Crocodylus anthropophagus, has been found with Homo habilis and Paranthropus boisei found, suggesting that it was a predator of them as well. Modern nile crocodiles mainly go after large antelopes and other ungulates, so it's presumed that Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni hunted species like Hippotragus gigas, Ugandax, Pelorovis as well as fish, birds, and larger mammals such as Diceros praecox and Hippopotamus gorgops.
Specimens[]
Specimen KNM-ER 1682 is a relatively complete skull, and would've belonged to a fully grown individual that would be around 7 meters (23 feet) long and around 1.75 tons, this is around the same size as the largest saltwater crocodile. Specimen KNM-ER 26305 is much larger, estimated to have been more than 7.5 meters (25 feet) long and more than 2 Tons.
Other specimens include:
- KNM-WT 38977
- KNM-LT 421
- KNM-KP 18338
- KNM-KP 30604
- KNM-KP 30619
Phylogeny[]
Crocodylus thorbjarnsoni is related to all the other species of Crocodylus and distantly related to the dwarf crocodiles (Osteolaemus) and slender snouted crocodiles (Mectistops).
They're most closely related to nile crocodiles and west african crocodiles, with their extinct relatives Crocodylus anthropophagus and Crocodylus checchiai being even closer.
Gallery[]
