Researchers reported today, that million of years ago, roaming through parts of northern Africa, a 20 foot long crocodile with three sets of fangs like a wild boar tusks. This creature hunted meat. Another crocodile was found nearby with a wide, flat snout like a pancake was fishing for food. And a smaller, 3 foot long relative with buckteenth was chomping plants and grubs in the same region.
“These species open a window on a croc world completely foregin to what was living in northern continents”. Researchers suggest that these crocodiles could gallop across the landscape chasing prey and yet also drive into the water that then existed in the region and swim.
The newly discovered species are:
_ Kaprosuchus saharicus, nicknamed “BoarCroc,” found in Niger. BoarCroc was a 20-foot-long meat-eater with an armored snout for ramming and three sets of dagger-shaped fangs for slicing.
_ Araripesuchus rattoides, which the researchers call “RatCroc,” found in Morocco. This 3-foot-long croc was a plant- and grub-eater with a pair of buckteeth in lower jaw it used to dig for food.
_ Laganosuchus thaumastos, or “PancakeCroc,” found in Niger and Morocco. Also 20 feet long, it was a squat fish-eater with a 3-foot pancake-flat head and spike-shaped teeth on slender jaws. Sereno said it probably remained motionless for hours, its jaws open and waiting for prey.