Temporal range: Oligocene – Holocene, 28.1–0.003 Ma
PreꞒ
Ꞓ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Survival until just 1.700 years ago is possible, but not certain.
Mekosuchus inexpectatus mandible
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Reptilia
Clade:
Archosauromorpha
Clade:
Archosauriformes
Order:
Crocodilia
Clade:
†Mekosuchinae
Genus:
†Mekosuchus Balouet & Buffetaut, 1987
Type species
†Mekosuchus inexpectatus
Balouet & Buffetaut, 1987
Species
†M. inexpectatus Balouet & Buffetaut, 1987 (type)
†M. kalpokasi Mead et al., 2002
†M. sanderi Willis, 2001
†M. whitehunterensis Willis, 1997
Mekosuchus is a genus of extinct Australasian mekosuchine crocodilian. Species of Mekosuchus were generally small-sized (less than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) long), terrestrial animals with short, blunt-snouted heads and strong limbs. Four species are currently recognized, M. inexpectatus, M. whitehunterensis, M. sanderi and M. kalpokasi, all known primarily from fragmentary remains.
Mekosuchus was a successful and widespread genus, with its earliest members being found during the Oligocene and Miocene in mainland Australia. These species coexisted with a wide variety of other mekosuchines, forming a highly diverse crocodilian fauna including terrestrial hunters, semi-aquatic ambush predators and long-snouted fish eaters. The anatomy of the neck vertebrae of M. whitehunterensis might indicate that it was quite well adapted to stripping flesh from carcasses, using blade-like teeth and violent side-to-side thrashing.
The younger two species were found on the Pacific islands of New Caledonia and Vanuatu respectively and represent some of the youngest known mekosuchines. Mekosuchus possibly died out approximately 3,000 years ago, during the Holocene, but some authors have also suggested that they may have survived until even more recently. Unlike the mainland species, M. inexpectatus is known to have had bulbous posterior teeth that may have been used to crack the shells of crustaceans and molluscs. Some researchers suggest that they were nocturnal animals living in close association with rainforest streams.[citation needed] What caused their extinction is unclear. Although some researchers suggest a human cause, others point out that the potential overlap with human settlements is insufficiently understood and no direct signs of human involvement have been found.
Mekosuchus is a genus of extinct Australasian mekosuchine crocodilian. Species of Mekosuchus were generally small-sized (less than 2 m (6 ft 7 in) long)...
Mekosuchine crocodiles are a diverse group. One of the last species, Mekosuchus inexpectatus from Holocene New Caledonia, may have been arboreal. The...
extinct monospecific genus of mekosuchine crocodylian closely related to Mekosuchus and Trilophosuchus. Volia is known from a collection of largely fragmentary...
Riversleigh World Heritage Area, namely Baru wickeni, "Baru" huberi and Mekosuchus whitehunterensis. After these early descriptions, things became relatively...
Mekosuchinae following the inclusion of Mekosuchus from New Caledonia and Australia. The addition of Mekosuchus had a major impact on how Trilophosuchus...
Crocodilia to the living species and close extinct relatives such as Mekosuchus. The various other groups that had previously been known as Crocodilia...
combination Ultrastenos huberi. Ultrastenos is now thought to be closer to Mekosuchus and Trilophosuchus. The skull of Baru was exceptionally broad and robustly...
apex predator of Pleistocene Fiji) MekosuchusMekosuchus inexpectatus (New Caledonian land crocodile) Mekosuchus kalpokasi (Vanuatu land crocodile) Varanus...
coincident with the extinction of several species, such as the land crocodile (Mekosuchus kalpokasi), land tortoise (Meiolania damelipi) and various flightless...
in water and part on land. The last surviving fully terrestrial genus, Mekosuchus, became extinct about 3000 years ago after humans had arrived on its Pacific...
Former range Causes 1950-1050 BC New Caledonian terrestrial crocodile Mekosuchus inexpectatus Grande Terre and Isle of Pines, New Caledonia Hunting. 1935-1700...
Mekosuchus and Trilophosuchus in close associatioan with Ultrastenos and ”Baru” huberi (although this analysis placed the former closer to Mekosuchus)...
fossil turtles (Meiolania mackayi) and terrestrial fossil crocodiles (Mekosuchus inexpectatus) which became extinct shortly after human arrival. There...
nonetheless bigger than many other mekosuchines such as Trilophosuchus and Mekosuchus. The genus is monotypic, meaning it contains only a single species, Kalthifrons...
predator on the island, the others being an extinct terrestrial crocodile, Mekosuchus, and a goanna.[citation needed] P. bocourti is presumed to be diurnal...
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