Crocodylus anthropophagus was first named by Christopher A. Brochu, Jackson Njau, Robert J. Blumenschine and Llewellyn D. Densmore in 2010. The specific nameanthropophagus is from Greek word "anthropos" that means "human" and Greek word "phagos" that means "eater", in reference to the evidence that this animal included hominids in its diet.[1]
Taxonomyedit
The holotype specimen, NNHM-1001, comprises a skull and partial skeleton. All specimens were discovered in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, in two different rock formations dating to 1.845 and 1.839 million years ago in the Plio-Pleistocene.[1] The cladogram below is from a 2021 study based on the finding of a new C. anthropophagus partial cranium.[4]
Postcranial material referred to Crocodylus anthropophagus
The skeleton is consistent with living representatives of the genus. The axis vertebra has a projection on the underside (a hypapophysis) which seems to have largely fused to the vertebra itself. The vertebrae are procoelous in shape, with a spherical projection extending from the back side which attaches to a concave socket on the front end of the preceding vertebra. The femora slightly bend in an S-shape. However, C. anthropophagus lacks the shallow bony pair of crests running from the eyes to the nose like in Indopacific Crocodylus, and lacks a boss (a lump of bone) on the middle of the snout like in Neotropical Crocodylus.
The right premaxilla (the bone that makes up the front end of the snout) of the holotype preserved three tooth sockets, with a notable gap in between the first and second sockets. Another specimen's left maxilla (the bone that makes up the back end of the snout) preserved 13 circular sockets, though it may have partially preserved a 14th. There was a gap between the 9th and 10th. The teeth were all conical and lacked serrations.
It had two prominent, triangular “horns” over the ears.[1]
Mandibular remains of Crocodylus anthropophagus
Paleoecologyedit
Crocodylus anthropophagus was the largest predator encountered by human ancestors at Olduvai Gorge, as indicated by hominin specimens preserving crocodile bite marks from these sites. Its type locality is near those for Homo habilis and Paranthropus boisei.[1]
Referencesedit
This article incorporates CC-BY-2.5 text from the reference.[1]
^ abcdefgChristopher A. Brochu; Jackson Njau; Robert J. Blumenschine; Llewellyn D. Densmore (2010). "A New Horned Crocodile from the Plio-Pleistocene Hominid Sites at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania". PLoS ONE. 5 (2): e9333. Bibcode:2010PLoSO...5.9333B. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0009333. PMC2827537. PMID 20195356.
^. Palaeocritti.com. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016.
^Ewen Callaway (24 February 2010). "Monster crocodile was ancient human nightmare". New Scientist. from the original on 7 December 2021.
^Azzarà, Beatrice; Boschian, Giovanni; Brochu, Christopher; Delfino, Massimo; Iurino, Dawid Adam; Kimambo, Jackson Stanley; Manzi, Giorgio; Masao, Fidelis T.; Menconero, Sofia; Njau, Jackson K; Cherin, Marco (2021). "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. doi:10.13130/2039-4942/15771.
External linksedit
Wikispecies has information related to Crocodylus anthropophagus.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crocodylus anthropophagus.
Ancient Human Ancestors Faced Fearsome Horned Crocodile. LiveScience
February 16, 2024
crocodylus, anthropophagus, extinct, species, crocodile, from, pleistocene, tanzania, lived, million, years, large, sized, predator, reaching, length, temporal, range, pleistocene, preꞒ, reconstruction, scientific, classificationdomain, eukaryotakingdom, anima. Crocodylus anthropophagus is an extinct species of crocodile from the Pleistocene of Tanzania It lived 1 84 million years ago 1 It was a large sized predator reaching a length of 7 5 m 25 ft 2 3 Crocodylus anthropophagusTemporal range Pleistocene 1 845 1 839 Ma 1 PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Reconstruction of Crocodylus anthropophagusScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaClade ArchosauromorphaClade ArchosauriformesOrder CrocodiliaFamily CrocodylidaeGenus CrocodylusSpecies C anthropophagusBinomial name Crocodylus anthropophagusBrochu et al 2010 Contents 1 Etymology 2 Taxonomy 3 Description 4 Paleoecology 5 References 6 External linksEtymology editCrocodylus anthropophagus was first named by Christopher A Brochu Jackson Njau Robert J Blumenschine and Llewellyn D Densmore in 2010 The specific name anthropophagus is from Greek word anthropos that means human and Greek word phagos that means eater in reference to the evidence that this animal included hominids in its diet 1 Taxonomy editThe holotype specimen NNHM 1001 comprises a skull and partial skeleton All specimens were discovered in Olduvai Gorge Tanzania in two different rock formations dating to 1 845 and 1 839 million years ago in the Plio Pleistocene 1 The cladogram below is from a 2021 study based on the finding of a new C anthropophagus partial cranium 4 Crocodylinae Mecistops cataphractus West African slender snouted crocodileCrocodylus thorbjarnarsoni Crocodylus anthropophagus Crocodylus niloticus Nile crocodileCrocodylus checchiai Crocodylus moreletii Morelet s crocodileCrocodylus intermedius Orinoco crocodileCrocodylus acutus American crocodileCrocodylus rhombifer Cuban crocodileCrocodylus palaeindicus Crocodylus palustris Mugger crocodileCrocodylus ossifragus Crocodylus siamensis Siamese crocodileCrocodylus mindorensis Philippine crocodileCrocodylus johnstoni Freshwater crocodileCrocodylus porosus Saltwater crocodileCrocodylus raninus Borneo crocodileCrocodylus novaeguineae New Guinea crocodile Paleoafrican CrocodylusNeotropical CrocodylusIndo Pacific CrocodylusDescription edit nbsp Postcranial material referred to Crocodylus anthropophagusThe skeleton is consistent with living representatives of the genus The axis vertebra has a projection on the underside a hypapophysis which seems to have largely fused to the vertebra itself The vertebrae are procoelous in shape with a spherical projection extending from the back side which attaches to a concave socket on the front end of the preceding vertebra The femora slightly bend in an S shape However C anthropophagus lacks the shallow bony pair of crests running from the eyes to the nose like in Indopacific Crocodylus and lacks a boss a lump of bone on the middle of the snout like in Neotropical Crocodylus The right premaxilla the bone that makes up the front end of the snout of the holotype preserved three tooth sockets with a notable gap in between the first and second sockets Another specimen s left maxilla the bone that makes up the back end of the snout preserved 13 circular sockets though it may have partially preserved a 14th There was a gap between the 9th and 10th The teeth were all conical and lacked serrations It had two prominent triangular horns over the ears 1 nbsp Mandibular remains of Crocodylus anthropophagusPaleoecology editCrocodylus anthropophagus was the largest predator encountered by human ancestors at Olduvai Gorge as indicated by hominin specimens preserving crocodile bite marks from these sites Its type locality is near those for Homo habilis and Paranthropus boisei 1 References editThis article incorporates CC BY 2 5 text from the reference 1 a b c d e f g Christopher A Brochu Jackson Njau Robert J Blumenschine Llewellyn D Densmore 2010 A New Horned Crocodile from the Plio Pleistocene Hominid Sites at Olduvai Gorge Tanzania PLoS ONE 5 2 e9333 Bibcode 2010PLoSO 5 9333B doi 10 1371 journal pone 0009333 PMC 2827537 PMID 20195356 Crocodylus anthropophagus Palaeocritti com Archived from the original on 14 June 2016 Ewen Callaway 24 February 2010 Monster crocodile was ancient human nightmare New Scientist Archived from the original on 7 December 2021 Azzara Beatrice Boschian Giovanni Brochu Christopher Delfino Massimo Iurino Dawid Adam Kimambo Jackson Stanley Manzi Giorgio Masao Fidelis T Menconero Sofia Njau Jackson K Cherin Marco 2021 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 doi 10 13130 2039 4942 15771 External links edit nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Crocodylus anthropophagus nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crocodylus anthropophagus Ancient Human Ancestors Faced Fearsome Horned Crocodile LiveScience Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crocodylus anthropophagus amp oldid 1153009037, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
