Crocodylus anthropophagus

Croc-oh-dil-us an-fro-po-fag-us.
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Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

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Name

Crocodylus anthropophagus ‭(‬Human eating crocodile‭)‬.

Phonetic

Croc-oh-dil-us an-fro-po-fag-us.

Named By

Christopher A.‭ ‬Brochu,‭ ‬Jackson Njau,‭ ‬Robert J.‭ ‬Blumenschine and Llewellyn D.‭ ‬Densmore‭ ‬-‭ ‬2010.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Crocodylomorpha,‭ ‬Crocodylia,‭ ‬Crocodylidae,‭ ‬Crocodylinae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

Size

Uncertain but estimated between‭ ‬7‭ ‬and‭ ‬7.5‭ ‬meters long.

Known locations

Tanzania‭ ‬-‭ ‬Olduvai Gorge.

Time Period

Late Gelasian of the Pleistocene.

Fossil representation

Partial skull and post cranial remains.

In Depth

Further Reading

– A New Horned Crocodile from the Plio-Pleistocene Hominid Sites at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. – PLoS One 5(2). – C. A. Brochu, J. Njau, R. J. Blumenschine & L. D. Densmore – 2010. – A new cranium of Crocodylus anthropophagus from Olduvai Gorge, northern Tanzania. – Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia (Research in Paleontology and Stratigraphy). 127 (2): 275–295. – Beatrice Azzar�, Giovanni Boschian, Christopher Brochu, Massimo Delfino, Dawid Adam Iurino, Jackson Stanley Kimambo, Giorgio Manzi, Fidelis Taliwawa Masao, Sofia, Menconero, Jackson K Njau & Marco Cherin – 2021.

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