Pseudosuchian Knoetschkesuchus langenbergensis, of Late Jurassic, Germany!

This tiny atoposaurid crocodylomorph is Knoetschkesuchus langenbergensis, with an adult size of just 55 centimetres (1.8 ft) long. Like other atoposaurids, Knoetschkesuchus had heterodont (multiple types of) teeth, and fed on a variety of small prey, mainly invertebrates, but possibly also amphibians and small mammals. Its small size and specialization towards small prey allowed Knoetschkesuchus to occupy a niche that most of the other diverse pseudosuchians of Jurassic Europe were not yet taking advantage of.

There were two species of Knoetschkesuchus, Knoetschkesuchus guimarotae is known from Portugal and Knoetschkesuchus langenbergensis here is known from Germany. During the Late Jurassic, Europe was covered by the relatively shallow Tethys Sea, with exposed landmasses being a series of scattered archipelagos and small islands. Knoetschkesuchus langenbergensis would have lived on one or more of these islands, having been found in the Süntel Formation. It would have come across the much larger marine pseudosuchian, Machimosaurus hugii, and the semi-aquatic crocodyliform Goniopholis simus. This formation is perhaps best known for the dwarf sauropod Europasaurus holgeri, an example of insular dwarfism. There were other dinosaurs on this island as well, but they are indeterminate, including an allosauroid, and other theropods.

Polarized fishing glasses are an essential part of any Hell Creek fieldworker's equipment, for two very good reasons:

(Borealosuchus by Chris Masna, Brachychampsa by tyranttr)

Borealosuchus and Brachychampsa are two crocs (well, a eusuchian and an alligatoroid, respectively) found throughout Hell Creek's waterways. Borealosuchus, being larger and more generalized in its diet is considered more potentially dangerous than the smaller turtle specialist Brachychampsa, though considering the latter could still fuck someone up should it feel obligated people try to keep their distance from both of them.

Seeing as the colony was built well inland from the shore of the Western Interior Seaway, they rarely encounter Hell Creek's largest crocodylomorph, the giant marine Thoracosaurus:

(Image by Jacob Baardse. I'm really not trying to use so many Saurian-related images here, but they've kind of produced the only decent art of these guys that I can find.)

Day 11: Injury

simosuchus. My cat.

#Archovember Day 8 - Carnufex carolinensis

Did you know there’s now a species of crocodile named after Motörhead’s Lemmy?

One of the ‘nastiest’ crocodiles to have existed, the Lemmysuchus crocodylomorphs roamed England during the Middle Jurassic Period. Although origins of this species still aren’t fully understood, the origins of its name are quite clear, allowing the name ‘Lemmy’ to live on in a reptilian form worthy of the rock legend.

Pseudosuchian Laganosuchus thaumastos, of Late Cretaceous, Niger!

Laganosuchus thaumastos was a stomatosuchid crocodyliform from Late Cretaceous Niger. Like its much larger relative, Stomatosuchus, Laganosuchus had wide, flat jaws earning it the name “pancake crocodile”. It had small, simple, straight teeth, and likely would not have used them to bite onto large prey. Due to the length of their jaws, and the drag that would be present in the water, they also would not have been able to snap their jaws shut or open very quickly. Instead, they may have fed by waiting on lake or river bottoms, motionless, with their mouths open, for curious fish to wander inside, and then closed their mouths around them. Their spike-like teeth would have fit together tightly, preventing any escape. Or, they may have had a gular pouch and hunted like a pelican or whale, scooping fish up in their pouch and using the surface of the water to trap them inside their pouch. Laganosuchus is only known from a fossil of its lower jaws, so unfortunately not much else is known about its behavior, and the rest of its appearance can only be inferred from its relatives.

Laganosuchus thaumastos was found in the Echkar Formation of Niger. It would have lived alongside a diverse array of pseudosuchians here, including the terrestrial rat-like Araripesuchus rattoides, the aquatic gharial-like Elosuchus and Fortignathus, and the semiaquatic Kaprosuchus (which was once assumed to be terrestrial). It would have come across dinosaurs like the sauropods Aegyptosaurus and Rebbachisaurus, and theropods like Bahariasaurus, Inosaurus, Rugops, and Spinosaurus. Another species of Laganosuchus, L. maghrebensis, is known from the Kem Kem Beds of Morocco.