Stomatosuchus

Taxobox
name = "Stomatosuchus"
fossil_range = Cenomanian

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image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
subclassis = Diapsida
infraclassis = Archosauromorpha
ordo = Crocodilia
familia = Stomatosuchidae
genus = "Stomatosuchus"
species = "S. inermis"

"Stomatosuchus inermis" ("Weaponless mouth crocodile") was an enormous 12 meter long eusuchian [Fossils explained 34 Crocodilians Darren Naish [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/action/showFullText?submitFullText=Full+Text+HTML&doi=10.1046%2Fj.1365-2451.2001.00006.x&cookieSet=1] ] crocodilian from the Cenomanian epoch of Upper Cretaceous Egypt. Unlike most other crocodilians, it is difficult to determine exactly what "S. inermis" ate. Its flattened skull had a long, flat, lid-like snout, which was lined with 2 to 3 centimeter long teeth. The mandible was built like a gasket, and had no teeth. Some have suggested that this gasket-like lower jaw would have supported a pelican-like throat pouch [Fossils explained 34 Crocodilians Darren Naish [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/action/showFullText?submitFullText=Full+Text+HTML&doi=10.1046%2Fj.1365-2451.2001.00006.x&cookieSet=1] ] . As such, all researchers are certain that "S. inermis" was incapable of tackling large vertebrate prey.

This crocodilian probably relied on its size and scutes to defend itself, as it lacked large teeth. It was also probably not a fast swimmer, as its wide head was rather cumbersome. Most likely, only the females returned to land, in order to lay eggs. Even then, such a large, slow-moving animal would have been vulnerable to terrestrial predators, such as the spinosaur "Spinosaurus", or the abelisaur "Rugops".

Sadly, the only known specimen, a large skull, which was collected in German paleontologist Ernst Stromer's Egyptian expedition, was obliterated when the Munich Museum was destroyed during an Allied bombing raid in 1944.

References

External links

Mikko's Phylogeny Archive [http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/haaramo/Metazoa/Deuterostoma/Chordata/Archosauria/Crocodylia/Crocodyliformes.htm]