³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

A new study has revealed more about Deinosuchus fossils - including their banana-like teeth

  • Published
prehistoric-crocodilesImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

It's thought that the Deninosuchus looked a lot like these guys

Have you ever heard of a Deinosuchus?

They lived millions of years ago and were part of the crocodile family.

A new study into Deinosuchus fossils has revealed loads more about them, including the fact that they had teeth the size of bananas!

Snappy snippet
  • Did you know? Deinosuchus translates to 'terror dinosaur'

Not much was known about them before, but the study, done by two American palaeontologists, means we now know a little more.

Get your teeth stuck in to these findings!

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Dr Cossette said "Deinosuchus was a giant that must have terrorized dinosaurs that came to the water's edge to drin,"

The massive animals lived between 75 million and 82 million years ago and would have been at the top of the food chain.

One of the palaeontologists involved in the study said: "It was a strange animal," and it shows that animals in the crocodile family have evolved "just as dynamically as any other group."

Deinosuchus seems to have been an opportunistic predator, and given that it was so enormous, almost everything in its habitat was on the menu.

— Stephanie Drumheller-Horton, paleontologist

From this research they have found that despite looking not much like either crocodiles or alligators, their ancient ancestors, were closer related to alligators than crocodiles.

The palaeontologists also revealed that they had found Deinosuchus bite marks different species of turtle shells and dinosaur bones! And they must've been pretty big bite marks!