| “ | Postosuchus, a merciless ambush predator. The largest carnivore on Earth. | „ |
| — Allen Johnson, about Postosuchus in New Blood | ||
Postosuchus (name meaning "Crocodile from Post") is a genus of large rauisuchid archosaur that originated during the Late Triassic period in what is now North America. Measuring 6 meters long and weighing a ton, Postosuchus was the apex and largest predator of its day.
In the Series 2 premiere "New Blood," a pair of Postosuchus were rescued from Late Triassic Arizona, 225 million years ago.
Facts[]
Era & Discovery[]
The apex predator of its time, Postosuchus lived in North America during the Middle Triassic period and lived up until the end of the Triassic, from 237 to 201 million years ago. It lived alongside other creatures such as Coelophysis, Placerias, and Plateosaurus. Postosuchus was first discovered in 1980.
Postosuchus skeleton
Physical Attributes[]
Postosuchus was the largest predator during its time. Measuring up to 20 feet (6 m) in length, standing more than 6 feet (2 m) tall on all four legs, and weighing 1 – 2 tons (2,000 – 4,000 lbs.), Postosuchus was heavily built with an armored back. While rearing up on their hinds legs for a few moments, Postosuchus stood around 10 feet (3 m) tall.
Postosuchus is a distant relative of the dinosaurs, having evolved from the same reptilian ancestors. However, unlike the dinosaurs, Postosuchus was too front-heavy to run on two legs, yet they were easily fast enough to keep pace with a herd of Placerias.
Behavior & Traits[]
A ruthless ambush predator, Postosuchus was a solitary creature, only getting together with others of its kind either during mating season or during confrontations. Additionally, both males and females were very territorial of each other. Due to their size and proportions, Postosuchus needed a large amount of food and water. Therefore, they had to defend an enormous territories. Much like Tyrannosaurus, the only creatures on the planet Postosuchus feared was their own kind. Similar to modern bears, Postosuchus was able to rear up on their hind legs, or at the very least for a few seconds, stood on their back legs to scare off other creatures, even their own kind.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The sound effects of Postosuchus are that of bear, crocodile, and large cat sound effects.
- It is now theorized that Postosuchus may have been a bipedal walking reptile, at least some time.
- Postosuchus was largest Triassic predator brought to the park.