Pallimnarchus

Pallimnarchus
Temporal range: Pliocene - Pleistocene
Pallimnarchus pollens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Crocodilia
Family: Crocodylidae
Subfamily: † Mekosuchinae
Genus: Pallimnarchus
De Vis, 1886
Species
  • P. pollens De Vis, 1886 (type)
  • P. gracilis Willis & Molnar, 1997

Pallimnarchus is a genus extinct mekosuchine crocodylian from the Pliocene and Pleistocene of Australia. Remains of this animal have been found in the Riversleigh lagerstätte of northwestern Queensland. It was medium-sized, up to 5 meters long.[1] It had conical teeth with serrate carinae, and an extremely broad snout, features that probably allowed it to specialize in ambushing preys in shallow water.

Etymology

The generic name, Pallimnarchus, is derived from a crasis compound word of Pan, Limnos and Archon, which together mean "ruler of all the swamps".

References

  1. ^ Molnar, Ralph E. (2004). Dragons in the dust: the paleobiology of the giant monitor lizard Megalania. Bloomington and Indianapolis, IN: Indiana University Press. p. 172. ISBN 0253343747.