Chasmatosuchus
| Chasmatosuchus Temporal range: Early Triassic | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Sauropsida |
| Infraclass: | Archosauromorpha |
| Family: | Proterosuchidae |
| Genus: | Chasmatosuchus Huene, 1940 |
| species | |
|
Chasmatosuchus rossicus | |
Chasmatosuchus was a large archosauriform reptile from the early Triassic period of South Africa and China. It is one of the earliest well-known archosauriforms. It was over 6 ft (2m) long and is thought to have behaved like a modern crocodile.[1] Its mouth had two distinct features: the top of its jaw hooked downwards to aid in holding prey, and the upper palate was lined with a row of teeth—a primitive feature lost in later archosaurs.[2]
References
- ↑ Paleobiology Database. PaleoDB. Accessed April 7, 2012.
- ↑ Chasmatosuchus. Vionto.com. Accessed April 7, 2012.