If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)

Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

New croc that coexisted with Titanoboa

Adam Khor · 2012-03-28 00:04:02

It's a dyrosaurid, part of an extinct family of crocodilians, and it measured six meters long, which would make it a very big crocodile today, but a rather small prehistoric one (despite the press calling it a "giant croc"). It is possible that this crocodilian was an occassional food item for the gigantic snake. It fed…

Options

28-03-2012 1:04am

#1

Adam Khor

Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭

Join Date: March 2011

Posts: 3885

It's a dyrosaurid, part of an extinct family of crocodilians, and it measured six meters long, which would make it a very big crocodile today, but a rather small prehistoric one (despite the press calling it a "giant croc").
It is possible that this crocodilian was an occassional food item for the gigantic snake. It fed mostly on fish and its name is Acherontisuchus, which is pretty cool (the Acheron or "river of pain" was the main river of Hades in Greek mythology; the spirits of the dead had to cross the Acheron in Charon's boat to reach their final resting place).

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/09/110916-prehistoric-crocodile-new-species-largest-snake-titanoboa-science/

Here's a pic of Acherontisuchus and a Titanoboa that fortunately, doesn´t seem big or hungry enough to pay it much attention.

Failed to load the poll.

2