| Proterosuchus Temporal range: Early Triassic | |
|---|---|
| |
| life restoration of Proterosuchus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| Infraclass: | Archosauromorpha |
| Family: | Proterosuchidae |
| Genus: | Proterosuchus |
| Type species | |
| Proterosuchus fergusi | |
Proterosuchus (meaning “primitive crocodile”) is an extinct genus of aquatic archosauriform reptile known from the Triassic of southern Africa and China.
Description[]
Proterosuchus was a crocodile-like creature about 4 meters long, and may have been an ancestor of that group. It probably hunted in the same manner as modern crocodiles, attacking prey on the waterside. Its upper jaw arched down at the front, and it had teeth well suited for catching fish. It also had teeth on its palate; a primitive feature lost in later archosaurs.
In popular culture[]
- Proterosuchus (identified as Chasmatosaurus) had a cameo in Walking With Monsters attacking a herd of Lystrosaurus. It is a possibility that Proterosuchus is an ancestor of crocodilians.
- It also appeared in the sixth episode of Animal Armageddon, except during the end of the Permian, which is untrue.
Gallery[]
