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Postosuchus
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Postosuchus
Postosuchus, meaning "Crocodile from Post", is an extinct genus of rauisuchid reptiles comprising two species, P. kirkpatricki and P. alisonae, that lived in what is now North America during the Late Triassic. Postosuchus is a member of the clade Pseudosuchia, the lineage of archosaurs that includes modern crocodilians (the other main group of archosaurs is Avemetatarsalia, the lineage that includes all archosaurs more closely related to birds than to crocodilians). Its name refers to Post Quarry, a place in Texas where many fossils of the type species, P. kirkpatricki, were found.
It was one of the apex predators of its area during the Triassic, larger than the small dinosaur predators of its time (such as Coelophysis). It was a hunter that probably preyed on large, bulky herbivores such as dicynodonts and many other creatures smaller than itself (such as early dinosaurs). The skeleton of Postosuchus is large and robust, with a deep skull and a long tail. It was a large animal, up to 5–6 m (16–20 ft) long or even more. The extreme shortness of the fore limbs relative to the hind limbs, the very small fore paws, and measurements of the vertebrae suggest that Postosuchus may have been committed to bipedal locomotion.
Postosuchus was one of the largest carnivorous reptiles during the late Triassic. The length of the paratype is estimated up to 3.5–4.0 m (11.5–13.1 ft) long, and an individual of such length would have measured 2 m (6.6 ft) tall at the head when stood upright, and weighed around 250–300 kg (550–660 lb). The holotype is estimated up to 5–6 m (16–20 ft) long, and the largest known individual may measure up to 7 m (23 ft) long or more based on a complete cervical series specimen (TTU-P 9235).
The neck of Postosuchus consists of at least eight cervical vertebrae followed by 16 dorsals, while four co-ossified sacral vertebrae supported the hips. The neck was elongated, expanding to a short torso and long tail. Along with remains of the skeleton, paleontologists also identified osteoderms, which were thick plates forming scales on its back, neck, and possibly above or under the tail. It is thought to have had over 30 vertebrae in the tail, decreasing in size to the end. The pelvis with the hooked pubis and the rod-like ischium looked like those of carnosaurs. The ribcage of Postosuchus had typical archosaur structure, composed of large and slender, curved ribs. In some discoveries, ribs were found associated with gastralia, dermal bones located in the ventral region of the body.
Postosuchus had a massively built skull, bearing dagger-like teeth, which was constructed narrow in front, and extended wide and deep behind. The holotype skull was 55 cm in length and 21 cm broad and deep. Many fenestrae (openings) are present in the bones that lighten the skull, providing space for the muscles. Like more derived archosaurs, the lower jaw had mandibular fenestrae (at the lower jaw), formed by the junction of the dentary with other jaw bones (surangular and angular).
Postosuchus likely had very good long-distance sight, due to large orbits, supporting large and sharp eyes, and strong olfaction provided by elongated nostrils. Inside the skull, under the nostrils, a hollow is seen that may have contained a Jacobson's organ, an olfactory sensory organ sometimes referred as the "sixth sense". The jaws held large and sharp, serrated teeth, of which some were developed even larger to operate as hooked sabers.
A complete tooth found among Postosuchus remains in North Carolina measured about 7.2 cm in height. Postosuchus possessed heterodonty dentition, which means each tooth was different in size and shape from the others. The upper jaw contained 17 teeth, with each premaxilla bearing only four teeth and each maxilla 13 teeth. The lower jaw had over 30 teeth. Replacement activity in Postosuchus was different from that of crocodiles, since the replacement tooth did not fit directly in the pulp cavity of the old tooth, but grew until resorption of the old tooth was complete.
With the forelimbs being about 64% the size of the hind limbs, Postosuchus had small hands bearing five toes, of which only the first digit bore a claw. Due to the diminutive size of the hands, whether this claw was especially predominant in predation is uncertain, but it may have helped in grappling prey. The feet were much larger than the hands, with the fifth metatarsal forming a hook shape. The innermost two digits were less robust than the other toes, and likely could not touch the ground. As it was a crurotarsan, the heel and ankle of Postosuchus resemble those of modern crocodiles.
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Postosuchus
Postosuchus, meaning "Crocodile from Post", is an extinct genus of rauisuchid reptiles comprising two species, P. kirkpatricki and P. alisonae, that lived in what is now North America during the Late Triassic. Postosuchus is a member of the clade Pseudosuchia, the lineage of archosaurs that includes modern crocodilians (the other main group of archosaurs is Avemetatarsalia, the lineage that includes all archosaurs more closely related to birds than to crocodilians). Its name refers to Post Quarry, a place in Texas where many fossils of the type species, P. kirkpatricki, were found.
It was one of the apex predators of its area during the Triassic, larger than the small dinosaur predators of its time (such as Coelophysis). It was a hunter that probably preyed on large, bulky herbivores such as dicynodonts and many other creatures smaller than itself (such as early dinosaurs). The skeleton of Postosuchus is large and robust, with a deep skull and a long tail. It was a large animal, up to 5–6 m (16–20 ft) long or even more. The extreme shortness of the fore limbs relative to the hind limbs, the very small fore paws, and measurements of the vertebrae suggest that Postosuchus may have been committed to bipedal locomotion.
Postosuchus was one of the largest carnivorous reptiles during the late Triassic. The length of the paratype is estimated up to 3.5–4.0 m (11.5–13.1 ft) long, and an individual of such length would have measured 2 m (6.6 ft) tall at the head when stood upright, and weighed around 250–300 kg (550–660 lb). The holotype is estimated up to 5–6 m (16–20 ft) long, and the largest known individual may measure up to 7 m (23 ft) long or more based on a complete cervical series specimen (TTU-P 9235).
The neck of Postosuchus consists of at least eight cervical vertebrae followed by 16 dorsals, while four co-ossified sacral vertebrae supported the hips. The neck was elongated, expanding to a short torso and long tail. Along with remains of the skeleton, paleontologists also identified osteoderms, which were thick plates forming scales on its back, neck, and possibly above or under the tail. It is thought to have had over 30 vertebrae in the tail, decreasing in size to the end. The pelvis with the hooked pubis and the rod-like ischium looked like those of carnosaurs. The ribcage of Postosuchus had typical archosaur structure, composed of large and slender, curved ribs. In some discoveries, ribs were found associated with gastralia, dermal bones located in the ventral region of the body.
Postosuchus had a massively built skull, bearing dagger-like teeth, which was constructed narrow in front, and extended wide and deep behind. The holotype skull was 55 cm in length and 21 cm broad and deep. Many fenestrae (openings) are present in the bones that lighten the skull, providing space for the muscles. Like more derived archosaurs, the lower jaw had mandibular fenestrae (at the lower jaw), formed by the junction of the dentary with other jaw bones (surangular and angular).
Postosuchus likely had very good long-distance sight, due to large orbits, supporting large and sharp eyes, and strong olfaction provided by elongated nostrils. Inside the skull, under the nostrils, a hollow is seen that may have contained a Jacobson's organ, an olfactory sensory organ sometimes referred as the "sixth sense". The jaws held large and sharp, serrated teeth, of which some were developed even larger to operate as hooked sabers.
A complete tooth found among Postosuchus remains in North Carolina measured about 7.2 cm in height. Postosuchus possessed heterodonty dentition, which means each tooth was different in size and shape from the others. The upper jaw contained 17 teeth, with each premaxilla bearing only four teeth and each maxilla 13 teeth. The lower jaw had over 30 teeth. Replacement activity in Postosuchus was different from that of crocodiles, since the replacement tooth did not fit directly in the pulp cavity of the old tooth, but grew until resorption of the old tooth was complete.
With the forelimbs being about 64% the size of the hind limbs, Postosuchus had small hands bearing five toes, of which only the first digit bore a claw. Due to the diminutive size of the hands, whether this claw was especially predominant in predation is uncertain, but it may have helped in grappling prey. The feet were much larger than the hands, with the fifth metatarsal forming a hook shape. The innermost two digits were less robust than the other toes, and likely could not touch the ground. As it was a crurotarsan, the heel and ankle of Postosuchus resemble those of modern crocodiles.
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