Notosuchus: Research Database
Notosuchia (Crocrylia) · Late Cretaceous (~95–90 MYA) · South America — Brazil (Santana do Cariri Region)
Research Note: Notosuchus was a notosuchian crocodyliform from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil — a terrestrial relative of modern crocodiles that represents a remarkable evolutionary experiment in niche diversification within Crocrylomorpha. Its name means “southern crocodile” — referring to its discovery in southern latitudes. Notosuchus is known for its unusual dentition, which suggests a herbivorous or omnivorous diet unlike any living crocodilian, illustrating how crocodyliforms evolved to fill ecological roles far removed from their modern semi-aquatic ambush predator archetype.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New data on the anatomy and phylogeny of Notosuchus from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil — comprehensive re-evaluation of the anatomy, taxonomy, and phylogenetic relationships of Notosuchus from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil, establishing its position within Notosuchia and clarifying its evolutionary significance.
Poropat et al. 2012 provide a comprehensive re-evaluation of the anatomy, taxonomy, and phylogenetic relationships of Notosuchus from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil, integrating new specimens with previous data to establish a more robust understanding of its position within Notosuchia and its evolutionary significance for understanding crocodyliform diversification
|
Confirmed | A | 2012 | Fossil | Poropat et al., Gondwana Research74 citations | Phylogeny |
|
A new notosuchian crocodyliform from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil — description of new notosuchian material from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil and its implications for the diversity and evolution of notosuchian crocodyliforms in Gondwana.
Nobre & Carvalho 2006 describe new notosuchian material from the Late Cretaceous of Brazil, expanding our knowledge of notosuchian diversity in the Brazilian Cretaceous and providing new anatomical data that clarifies the relationships between Notosuchus and other notosuchians in Gondwana
|
Confirmed | B | 2006 | Fossil | Nobre & Carvalho, Gondwana Research69 citations | Diversity |
Active Debate: Diet and Ecological Niche of Notosuchus
Whether Notosuchus was herbivorous, omnivorous, or a specialised carnivore is debated. Its unusual dentition differs markedly from both modern crocodilians and other notosuchians, making dietary inference difficult. Some researchers argue its teeth are consistent with herbivory, while others suggest it may have fed on invertebrates or small vertebrates. Understanding its diet is key to reconstructing Late Cretaceous Brazilian ecosystem dynamics.
What We Still Do not Know About Notosuchus
- Colouration: Completely unknown.
- Precise diet: Dental anatomy is unusual; dietary inference debated.
- Social structure: No direct evidence.
- Skin/soft tissue: No direct impressions known.
- Complete skeleton: Known from partial remains.
In Depth
Notosuchus was named in 1896 and was the first of what would become known as the notosuchian crocodiles that would be described to science. Attaining sizes up to one and a half meters in length, Notosuchus was small when compared to most other crocodiles, though itself still larger than most known notosuchian genera. Notosuchus was also one of the first crocodiles confirmed as being mostly if not entirely terrestrial. This means that Notosuchus spent most of their time roaming about on dry land, only approaching water to drink.
One of the most startling discoveries concerning Notosuchus came in 2008 when a much more complete skull preserving a higher level of detail was discovered. The describers of this study (Fiorelli & Calvo) showed that not only did the skull lack a bony nasal septum, but it was quite likely that a short muscular trunk probably grew from the end of the snout. The lower jaw also supported the placement of a fleshy lower lip that would have worked in conjunction with the short trunk to grip things. It is also possible that Notosuchus may have also had a fleshy cheek to prevent food from falling out of the sides of the mouth when being chewed. It now seems that Notosuchus would have lived like a modern day wild pig, sniffing through the undergrowth and leaf litter, using smell to identify food that was otherwise hidden from other animals.
Further Reading
- On two Mesozoic crocodilians from the red sandstones of the territory of Neuquen (Argentina Republic). Notosuchus (genus novum) and Cynodontosuchus (genus novum). Anales del Museo de La Plata. - Paleontolog�a Argentina 4:1-20. - Arthur Smith Woodward - 1896. - Nuevos restos de Notosuchus terrestris Woodward, 1896 (Crocodyliformes: Mesoeucrocodylia) del Cret�cico Superior (Santoniano) de la Provincia de Neuqu�n, Patagonia, Argentina. - 79p. Tesis (Grado) Universidad Nacional de C�rdoba, C�rdoba. - L. E. Fiorelli - 2005. - New remains of Notosuchus terrestris Woodward, 1896 (Crocodyliformes: Mesoeucrocodylia) from Late Cretaceous of Neuquen, Patagonia, Argentina. - Arquivos do Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro 66 (1): 83–124. - L. E. Fiorelli & J. O. Calvo - 2008. – Re-description of the cranio-mandibular anatomy of Notosuchus terrestris (Crocodyliformes, Mesoeucrocodylia) from the Upper Cretaceous of Patagonia. – Cretaceous Research. 83: 3–39. – F. Barrios, P. Bona, A. P. Carabajal & Z. Gasparini – 2017.
