Elosuchus

E-lo-su-kuss.
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John Stewart

Paleoecologist

John Stewart is a distinguished paleoecologist whose work has significantly advanced our understanding of prehistoric ecosystems. With over two decades dedicated to unearthing fossils across Asia and Africa

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Name

Elosuchus.

Phonetic

E-lo-su-kuss.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Crocodyliformes,‭ ‬Pholidosauridae.

Diet

Carnivore/piscivore

Species

E.‭ ‬cherifiensis‭

Size

Unavailable.

Known locations

Algeria‭ ‬-‭ ‬Continental Intercalaire Formation.‭ ‬Morocco‭ ‬-‭ ‬Ifezouane Formation,‭ ‬Kem Kem Formation.‭

Time Period

Albian/Cenomanian of the Cretaceous.

Fossil representation

‭P‬artial remains of several individuals.

In Depth

       Originally described as a species of Thoracosaurus,‭ ‬T.‭ ‬cherifiensis was established as a distinct genus in‭ ‬2002,‭ ‬creating Elosuchus.‭ ‬Elosuchus was a marine crocodile that that possibly spent most of its life in the water.‭ ‬The gharial‭ ‬-like snout is suggestive that Elosuchus was more of a fish hunter.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Elosuchus,‭ ‬a new genus of crocodile from the Lower Cretaceous of the north of Africa.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Comptes Rendus Palevol‭ ‬1:275-285‭ ‬-‭ ‬F.‭ ‬de Lapparent de Broin‭ ‬-‭ ‬2002. -‭ ‬Revision and phylogenetic affinities of Elosuchus‭ (‬Crocodyliformes‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.‭ ‬179‭ (‬1‭) ‬-‭ ‬Louise M.‭ ‬V.‭ ‬Meunier‭; ‬Hans C.‭ ‬E.‭ ‬Larsson‭ ‬-‭ ‬2016 – Revision of the enigmatic crocodyliform Elosuchus felixi de Lapparent de Broin, 2002 from the Lower–Upper Cretaceous boundary of Niger: potential evidence for an early origin of the clade Dyrosauridae. – Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. – Mark T. Young, Alexander K. Hastings, Ronan Allain & Thomas J. Smith – 2016.

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