Deinosuchus

Deinosuchus
Classification
Name	Deinosuchus riograndensis
Name Meaning	Terrible Crocodile
Species	Prehistoric Crocodilian
Family	Alligatoridae
Diet	Carnivore
Physiology
Description	Giant crocodilian powerful enough to hunt dinosaurs
Attributes	Immense size; strong jaws; large teeth; strength; stealthy; largest crocodilian to have existed
Length	15.52 m (50.91 ft)
Weight	9 t (19,841.6 lb)
Biography
Era	Late Cretaceous
Time	83 to 65 MYA
Discovered	1909
Locations	North America

Deinosuchus (name meaning "Terrible Crocodile") is a genus of alligatoroid crocodilian that originated during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now North America. A giant prehistoric relative of alligators and caimans measuring 15 meters long and weighing around 9 tons, Deinosuchus is the largest crocodilian of all time as well as among the world's most well-known prehistoric animals.

In the Series 2 episode "Super Croc," an adult female Deinosuchus named Allie was rescued and brought to the park from Late Cretaceous Texas, 75 million years ago. She resides in the Crocodile Lake Enclosure with a male Deinosuchus the team also rescued so they can mate.

Facts

Era & Discovery

Deinosuchus lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous period from 82 to 65 million years ago. Among the apex predators of its time, rivaled only by the tyrannosaurs, Deinosuchus hunted dinosaurs, such as the duck-billed hadrosaurs.

Deinosuchus was first discovered in 1858 and wasn't named or described until 1909. Most Deinosuchus remains have been found in parts of Texas were Dallas is today.

Physical Attributes

Deinosuchus skeleton

Deinosuchus had the overall natural appearance of a crocodilian; rough, swampy green colored scaly skin, yellow eyes, long snout, legs spread out, teeth going up and down from jaws, etc. However, it was far larger than any crocodilian. Measuring 50 feet (15 m) in length from head to tail and weighing over 9 tons (19,000 lb), Deinosuchus was the largest crocodilian that had ever lived, rivaling Sarcosuchus (another large crocodilian from the Cretaceous in size by being slightly larger), and one of the largest carnivores the world had ever seen. The females were more dominant than the males. Additionally, Deinosuchus was more closely related to the modern alligators than to the 'proper' crocodiles.

Behavior & Traits

Though normally living in rivers and lakes, Deinosuchus, like many modern-day crocodilians (such as Saltwater crocodiles), would venture out into the open oceans to find food. Deinosuchus also lived in numbers of five or six individuals. On land, they basked on sandbanks, laying with their mouths open to actually lose a bit of heat. With its colossal jaws, Deinosuchus was adapted to dragging down huge prey. These crocodiles were so huge, they hunted and ate dinosaurs.

Prehistoric Earth: A Natural History

Series 2

While traveling through the coastlines of Late Cretaceous Texas, Allen and Rebecca witness a Deinosuchus rising from the sea and snatching a Nyctosaurus with it's huge jaws. The eventually spot another one swimming toward a river and follows it. Later they used an inflatable boat and travels through the river until a Deinosuchus bites the boat's stern. Allen and the team paddles two miles upstream into a freshwater lake where they spotted several Deinosuchus laying down on a sandbank. Another Deinosuchus attacked and killed a young Parasaurolophus that was drinking from the lake, they take turns to hold the carcass while one tears meat off.

The team tries to make a trap to catch the gigantic crocodilian by using a long double row of wooden posts with a blind end. The try to use some meat from a dead Parasaurolophus until it was being scavenged by a pack of Troodon which Allen manage to capture and bring back to Prehistoric Earth. Allen uses the rest of the meat and puts it at the end of the stockade to trap the Deinosuchus, however that night more Troodon appear and steals the meat and Allen tries to scare them away. The next morning, the team woke up by a pack of Albertosaurus who defending their kill from several Deinosuchus who have come to kill the meat. After rescuing the Albertosaurus pack, Allen decided to use himself to bait Deinosuchus out of the water as Troodon will keep stealing the meat they try to use.

He make splashing sounds in the water by using a paddle which led a Deinosuchus to investigate, however Allen backs off to soon and the crocodilian backs off. He makes splashes again until a large female changes out of the water and chases him through the stockade path. She tries to squeeze between two of the posts, the team struggles to keep posts upright. The female Deinosuchus begins to tire easily as all reptiles do, and the team manage to do the same with a male they captured with success. Allen ties to three of the posts and tows them through the portal with the two Deinosuchus following them and the park staff moves the two crocodilians to the Crocodile Enclosure.

Gallery

A Deinosuchus killing a Parasaurolophus.

A Deinosuchus bursting out of the water to kill a Nyctosaurus.

A Deinosuchus waiting in the water to strike at it's prey.

A float of Deinosuchus feasting on a Parasaurolophus carcass.

A group of Deinosuchus fighting a pack of Albertosaurus for meat.

Trivia

• Deinosuchus is the largest crocodilian brought to the park.
• The sound effects of Deinosuchus stock crocodilian along with camel, elephant, jaguar, leopard, lion, tiger, and walrus.