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PHOSPHATOSAURUS GAVIALOIDES [1 record]

Record 1 1980-08-15

English

Subject field(s)
  • Paleontology
  • Reptiles and Amphibians
CONT

Continued diversification in Cenozoic times affected one family of mesosuchians that appeared in Africa at the end of the Cretaceous. These were the dyrosaurids, [crocodilians] which inhabited shallow coastal waters early in the Tertiary. Their fossils, abundant in the phosphate deposits of southern Tunisia, show that one species, Dyrosaurus phosphaticus, had a very long, narrow snout and pointed teeth suitable for capturing fish .... Its cousin, Phosphatosaurus gavialoides, had a shorter, more robust snout .... Its jaws carried large, blunt rear teeth adapted to the crushing of hard-shelled prey; the species may have fed on marine turtles.

French

Domaine(s)
  • Paléontologie
  • Reptiles et amphibiens
CONT

Au début du Tertiaire, une famille de Mésosuchiens, apparue à la fin du Crétacé, continua à se diversifier. Il s'agit des Dyrosauridés, [crocodiliens] qui habitaient les eaux côtières peu profondes. Leurs restes, qui sont abondants dans les phosphates d'Afrique du Nord, montrent qu'une des espèces, Dyrosaurus phosphaticus, avait un museau très long et étroit et des dents pointues adaptées à la capture des poissons [...] Son cousin Phosphatosaurus gavialoides avait un museau plus court et plus robuste [...] Ses mâchoires portaient des dents postérieures grosses et obtuses, capables de broyer des proies aux coquilles dures; cette espèce se nourrissait peut-être des tortues marines.

Spanish

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