Protosuchus is an extinctgenus of carnivorouscrocodylomorph from the Early Jurassic. The name Protosuchus means "first crocodile", and it is among the earliest animals that resemble crocodilians. Protosuchus was about 1 metre (3.3 ft) in length and about 40 kilograms (88 lb) in weight.
life restoration of ProtosuchusThe skull of Protosuchus richardsoni (AMNH 3024)The pelvis and hindlimbs of Protosuchus richardsoni (AMNH 3024)Protosuchus richardsoni fossil AMNH 3024
As an early crocodilian relative, its skull featured more crocodilian characteristics than its earlier ancestors; it had short jaws that broadened out at the base of the skull, providing a large surface to which its jaw muscles could attach. This increased the maximum gape of the animal's mouth and the force with which the jaws could be closed. The dentition of the animal also resembled modern crocodiles, including the teeth in the lower jaw that fitted into notches on either side of the upper jaw when the mouth was closed.[1] It also possessed a powerful tail which later developed into a propulsion mechanism through water in its descendants.
The body was covered and reinforced by osteoderms in a double row along the back and covering the bottom of the body and the entire tail. It was an unusual quadrupedal reptile whose legs were columnar, with the rear legs longer than the front legs. Its five toes were clawed and it is believed that they were good runners and good swimmers.[citation needed]
^Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 99. ISBN1-84028-152-9.
^"FossilWorks: Protosuchus richardsoni" , retrieved 26 Feb 2014
^"Triassic-Jurassic faunal and floral transition in the Fundy Basin, Nova Scotia", Authors: Paul E. Olsen, Jessica H. Whiteside, Timothy Fedak, retrieved 26 Feb 2014
^Gow, C. E. (17 April 2000). "The Skull of Protosuchus haughtoni, an Early Jurassic Crocodyliform from Southern Africa". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 20 (1): 49–56. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2000)020[0049:TSOPHA]2.0.CO;2. JSTOR 4524063. S2CID 130186626.
^"FossilWorks: Protosuchus haughtoni", retrieved 26 Feb 2014
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Protosuchus.
protosuchus, confused, with, postosuchus, extinct, genus, carnivorous, crocodylomorph, from, early, jurassic, name, means, first, crocodile, among, earliest, animals, that, resemble, crocodilians, about, metre, length, about, kilograms, weight, temporal, range. Not to be confused with Postosuchus Protosuchus is an extinct genus of carnivorous crocodylomorph from the Early Jurassic The name Protosuchus means first crocodile and it is among the earliest animals that resemble crocodilians Protosuchus was about 1 metre 3 3 ft in length and about 40 kilograms 88 lb in weight ProtosuchusTemporal range Early JurassicA cast of Protosuchus richardsoni AMNH 3024 in the American Museum of Natural HistoryScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaClade PseudosuchiaClade CrocodylomorphaFamily ProtosuchidaeGenus ProtosuchusBrown 1934SpeciesP richardsoni Brown 1933 type P haughtoni Whetstone and Whybrow 1983 P micmac Sues et al 1996SynonymsArchaeosuchus Brown 1933 preoccupied Baroqueosuchus Busbey and Gow 1984 Lesothosuchus Whetstone and Whybrow 1983 life restoration of ProtosuchusThe skull of Protosuchus richardsoni AMNH 3024 The pelvis and hindlimbs of Protosuchus richardsoni AMNH 3024 Protosuchus richardsoni fossil AMNH 3024As an early crocodilian relative its skull featured more crocodilian characteristics than its earlier ancestors it had short jaws that broadened out at the base of the skull providing a large surface to which its jaw muscles could attach This increased the maximum gape of the animal s mouth and the force with which the jaws could be closed The dentition of the animal also resembled modern crocodiles including the teeth in the lower jaw that fitted into notches on either side of the upper jaw when the mouth was closed 1 It also possessed a powerful tail which later developed into a propulsion mechanism through water in its descendants The body was covered and reinforced by osteoderms in a double row along the back and covering the bottom of the body and the entire tail It was an unusual quadrupedal reptile whose legs were columnar with the rear legs longer than the front legs Its five toes were clawed and it is believed that they were good runners and good swimmers citation needed Species editThree species of Protosuchus have been described the type species P richardsoni 2 from Arizona United States P micmac 3 4 from Nova Scotia Canada and P haughtoni 5 from South Africa References edit Palmer D ed 1999 The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals London Marshall Editions p 99 ISBN 1 84028 152 9 FossilWorks Protosuchus richardsoni retrieved 26 Feb 2014 Triassic Jurassic faunal and floral transition in the Fundy Basin Nova Scotia Authors Paul E Olsen Jessica H Whiteside Timothy Fedak retrieved 26 Feb 2014 Gow C E 17 April 2000 The Skull of Protosuchus haughtoni an Early Jurassic Crocodyliform from Southern Africa Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20 1 49 56 doi 10 1671 0272 4634 2000 020 0049 TSOPHA 2 0 CO 2 JSTOR 4524063 S2CID 130186626 FossilWorks Protosuchus haughtoni retrieved 26 Feb 2014 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Protosuchus nbsp Paleontology portal nbsp This article about a prehistoric archosaur is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Protosuchus amp oldid 1182370809, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
