- Paracyclotosaurus
Taxobox
name = "Paracyclotosaurus"
fossil_range =Middle Triassic -Late Triassic
image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Paracyclotosaurus davidi"
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
superclassis =Tetrapoda
classis =Amphibia
ordo =Temnospondyli
familia =Capitosauroidea
genus = "Paracyclotosaurus"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =
* "P. davidi""Paracyclotosaurus" were giant temnospondyl
amphibians with a flat body, similar to today'ssalamander – but much larger. Although they could live on dry land, "Paracyclotosaurus" probably spent most of its time in water. Afish -eater, it might have played a waiting game, lying just below the surface of the water. When an unsuspecting fish came within reach of itsjaw s, "Paracyclotosaurus" lifted its massive head, its mouth opened wide and the fish was sucked inside. Modern predators, such ascrocodile s, use this technique to catch some of their prey. "Paracyclotosaurus" was 6–8 feet long, and it lived in theTriassic period, about 235 million years ago (Middle Triassic ). "Paracyclotosaurus" fossils were found inSydney Australia ,India andSouth Africa ; all these areas once were part of the continent ofGondwana .The species "P. davidi" is only known from one complete specimen recovered from Australia. The creature was probably killed by a tree crushing the back of its head.
References
* Patricia Vickers-Rich and Thomas Hewett Rich 1993, Wildlife of Gondwana, ISBN 0-7301-0315-3 Reed.
External links
* [http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=displayCollectionDetails&collection_no=38348 The Paleobiology Database: Paracyclotosaurus]
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