Saltwater+Crocodile+-+Deinosuchus

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= **//Deinosuchus//** = //(Deinosuchus) - Meaning terrible crocodile or flesh crocodile//

**Description**

The //Deinosuchus// is a now extinct relative of the alligator. It lived around 80 -73 millions ago, in the late cretaceous period. It has a body length of around 12 meters and a weight of 8.5 metric tons. One study indicates that the //Deinosuchus// might have a life-span of 50 years. It features a large head, massive jaws, armored scales and a long tail. Despite its massive size, the overall shape is similar to the modern saltwater crocodile. //Deinosuchus// had an alligator-like broad snout, with a slightly bulbous tip. The first fossils were discovered in North Carolina, United States in the 1805s. However only until 1909 was the genus named and described. Additional fragments of the //Deinosuchus// were found in the 1940s and were then reconstructed in the shape of a skull. It is now on display in the American Museum of Natural History.


 * Environmental habitat **

__Distribution__

As fossils of the //Deinosuchus// are only ever found in the area of the United States and northern Mexico, it suggests that this massive predator is distributed around the now United States and the Western Interior Seaway. Other fossils were also found on the eastern regions of South America, but are a lot smaller compared to the ones found in the Northern regions. Opinion remains divided as to whether these two groups represent different species.

__Habitat__

Scientists have believed that the //Deinosuchus// prefers to live in estuarine environments. As most of the fossils (such as the ones found in Texas) are found near water areas, it suggests that the //Deinosuchus// inhabited brackish-water bays. Whether //Deinosuchus// venture out into open sea in search for prey and territory (like the modern saltwater crocodiles) is known, as the fossil remains might have been misplaced after the animal died.

__Diet__

Scientists speculated that //Deinosuchus// may have preyed on many species in the past, such as large fish, small dinosaurs and other aquatic and land animals such as the giant beaver. Other possible //Deinosuchus// also include marine turtles, as it can easily crush the turtle’s shell with its large, robust teeth. Fossils of ancient marine turtles have been found with large, jagged marks which were most likely caused by the teeth of the crocodilian. The bigger //Deinosuchus// living in the Texas region are also believed to capable of killing larger dinosaurs. Many bite marks of tails found in other dinosaurs near the area strengthens this hypothesis. There are also no theropod dinosaurs as large as the //Deinosuchus// in the eastern regions, suggesting that it might be that area’s apex predator. The large jaws of the //Deinosuchus// is believed to have evolved this way, as it requires a good, firm grasp on the dinosaur it is hunting to ensure it doesn’t get away.

__Climate__

Little is known about the climate //Deinosuchus// is in, as whole complete fossils of it has never been recovered. Scientists can only speculate to a certain point, as the //Deinosuchus// is believed to live in brackish-water bays. In this case the //Deinosuchus// will live in a moist, hot climate thought out the year. It will not move on land as much as the crocodiles today as the ancient world are full of powerful land predators such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex.


 * Selection Pressure **

The //Deinosuchus// might have been a large, powerful predator, but that might prove to be its fatal flaw. At the end of the late Cretaceous period, around 65 million years ago, an event known as the K-T extinction event took place. In this event there has been a big change in climate. A drop in sea level could have caused a massive draught, killing many animals as they cannot find water. It will also cause massive temperature changes, which might result in many animals dying as they are not suited to the quick change. Another popular theory is that an asteroid about the size of Texas hit in the Mexico region, forming what is today called the Chicxulub impact crater. During this period the surviving //Deinosuchus// will usually starve to death, as all the large prey and fish it consumes for food is gone. Smaller crocodilians such as the saltwater crocodile might be able to prey on the smaller animals and survive whereas large ones like the //Deinosuchus// will perish.

**Adaptations**
__Structural Adaptation 1 - Even more massive Jaw__

Description & How it helped the animal survive: If the jaws of the saltwater crocodile is a truck, then the jaws of a //Deinosuchus// is a 747 Boeing commercial plane. Its massive jaws is able to deliver an amazing amount of more than 4000 pounds of force. Even the strongest and most powerful theropod dinosaurs such as the Tyrannosaurs Rex, do not possess a bite strength stronger than the //Deinosuchus.// Its massive jaws and powerful bite force will help the //Deinosuchus// secure its victim, especially when it’s hunting large prey like dinosaurs.

Environmental pressure: ﻿Same with its modern-day relative, the huge bite-down power of the //Deinosuchus// will help it bite though many of the tough skins of its prey. As the //Deinosuchus// hunts large dinosaurs, its requires big and massive jaws to gain a firm grasp on the animal. The large jaws will give the //Deinosuchus// a tight hold on whatever it is preying on.

__Structural Adaptation 2 – Osteoderms on its back__

Description & How it helped the animal survive: Osteoderms are bony deposits forming scales, plates or other structures in the dermal layers of the skin. The osteoderms covering the back of the //Deinosuchus// is very large, heavy and deep pitted. They form in the shape of modern day fish scales, with semi-circle overlapping semi-circle. The deep pits and grooves on the scales serve as attachment points for connective tissues. This arrangement of body tissues will help support the massive //Deinosuchus// when it’s out of water. Despite its massive size, scientists believe that the //Deinosuchus// is as agile as it on land as its modern relatives. It will help it survive attacks on land and also protect its back form attacks from other dinosaurs.

Environmental pressure: ﻿If the prey of the //Deinosuchus// is able to escape back onto land, the massive predator will have to chase it down. Having to sometimes hunt on land might have caused the //Deinosuchus// to develop these useful Osteoderms to increase its agility on land.

__ Structural Adaptation 3 - Hard teeth designed for crushing __

Description & How it helped the animal survive: Besides than its massive jaws and powerful bite down power, the //Deinosuchus// still has other tools that help it hunt. Each jaw of the //Deinosuchus// contains 21-22 large teeth. Fossils of the teeth shows that the teeth of the //Deinosuchus// has adapted more to crushing instead of piercing and tearing like the canines of a dog. It can be speculated that the teeth evolved to this state as the main prey of the //Deinosuchus// is the marine turtle, which has hard shells that needs to be crushed instead of pierced. The dinosaurs at the that period are also mostly armored with thick scales, and for the //Deinosuchus// to successfully eat one it will need thick, robust teeth to grind the scales. The teeth would help it survive by helping it get a firm grasp on the prey of the //Deinosuchus// when it drags the prey into the sea. It will let the //Deinosuchus// consume food easier.

Environmental pressure: As the main prey of the //Deinosuchus// is the marine turtle, it will require lots of grinding teeth in order to crush their shells. This might have caused the teeth of the //Deinosuchus// to evolve into this shape.

__Behavioral Adaptation - Ambush hunting techniques__

Description & How it helped the animal survive: The hunting techniques of the //Deinosuchus// is believed to be not so different from the modern day crocodile. When hunting land animals, it will lie in shallow waters of the pool of water, waiting for an unsuspecting dinosaur to take a drink. Quickly, the //Deinosuchus// will lunge out of the water with its propelling it forward and bite the prey’s limb with its wide, open jaws. Then it will perform the famous “death roll”, rolling in the water trying to sever the limb of the victim. It will repeat the process until the prey is dead. This technique allowed the //Deinosuchus// to tackle prey as large as itself or even prey larger than it.

Environmental pressure: Since the //Deinosuchus// is unable to run as fast as the other dinosaurs on land if they run, it developed a good technique in order to make sure its prey do not get away. This hunting technique is most likely to have developed this way.

__Physiological Adaptation - Continued growth rate__

Description & How it helped the animal survive: The growth rate of the //Deinosuchus// is speculated to be somewhat similar to the growth rate of modern crocodiles, but maintained over a longer period of time, resulting in its large size. //Deinosuchus// has an average life expectancy of 50 years. It lives longer than most large dinosaurs, as large dinosaurs usually reach adulthood in a short amount of time and have shorter lifespans. One study done on the //Deinosuchus// also indicates that its growth patterns are affected by the wet-dry seasonal climate variations, or oceanic circulation and nutrient cycles. If this is right, then the //Deinosuchus// would have grown faster than its modern-day relatives, and have a similar lifespan. Its continued growth rate and longer life expectancy will give it a better chance of survival. It will be able to grow larger than most marine animals and achieve the status of an apex predator over longer periods of time.

Environmental pressure: In the late cretaceous period, many of the creatures on earth are very large in size. To adapt to the need to get larger in order to eat bigger prey, the //Deinosuchus// developed a continued growth rate to get bigger.

** Scientific classification ** **Labeled Diagram of a //Deinosuchus//**
 * **Kingdom** || Animalia ||
 * **Phylum** || Chordata ||
 * **Class** || Sauropsida ||
 * **Order** || Crocodilia ||
 * **Suborder** || Eusuchia ||
 * **Superfamily** || Alligatoroidea ||
 * **Genus** || **†//Deinosuchus//** ||
 * **Discovery** || Holland, 1909 ||



**Bibliography**


 * About.com/Dinosaurs subdivision by Bob Strauss. (2011). //Deinosuchus.// Retrieved June 26th, 2011 from []
 * Anthorsaurs organization. (no date). //Deinosuchus.// Retrieved June 26th, 2011 from []
 * Science Blog, Brian Switek. (2009). //A True “Terror Croc”.// Retrieved 25th, 2011 from []
 * Wikipedia organization. (2011). //Deinosuchus.// Retrieved June 25th, 2011 from []