Hassiacosuchus

Has-se-ah-ko-soo-kus.
Published on

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

Hassiacosuchus

Phonetic

Has-se-ah-ko-soo-kus.

Named By

K.‭ ‬Weitzel‭ ‬-‭ ‬1935.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Crocodilia,‭ ‬Alligatoridae,‭ ‬Alligatorinae.

Diet

Carnivore.

Species

H.‭ ‬haupti

Size

Uncertain.

Known locations

Germany‭ ‬-‭ ‬Messel Pit.

Time Period

Early Eocene.

Fossil representation

At least two specimens.

In Depth

       In‭ ‬1941‭ ‬an alligator specimen from the Green River Formation was interpreted as being a new species of Hassiacosuchus by C.‭ ‬C.‭ ‬Mook.‭ ‬However a later‭ ‬1967‭ ‬study by Wassersug and Hecht found the remains of the second species actually belonged within the Procaimanoidea genus,‭ ‬and as such‭ ‬the second species of Hassiacosuchus became the second species of Procaimanoidea.‭ ‬This also makes Hassiacosuchus a distinctly European genus,‭ ‬however its future as a distinct genus is in doubt.‭ ‬Later studies have suggested that Hassiacosuchus may in fact belong within another North American genus called Allognathosuchus,‭ ‬although in‭ ‬2004‭ ‬another study by Christopher Brochu has led to the recommendation that Hassiacosuchus remain a distinct genus.

Further Reading

– Hassiacosuchus haupti n. g. n. sp., ein durophages Krokodil aus dem Mitteleoz�n von Messel – Notizblatt des Vereins f�r Erdkunde und der Hessischen Geologischen Landesanstalt Darmstadt (in German) 16: 40–49. – K. Weitzel – 1935. – The status of the crocodylid genera Procaimanoidea and Hassiacosuchus in the New World – Herpetologica 23 (1): 30–34. – R. J. Wassersug – 1967.

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