Deinosuchus

Name meaning: Terrible Crocodile

Time Period: Campanian (Late Cretaceous) 81.4-81 mya

Locations: Usa/Mexico

Taxonomy: ‬Sauropsida-Crocodilia-Eusuchia-‬Alligatoroidea

Subspecies: D. hatcheri

Characteristics ~ ~ ~ ~

Deinosuchus is considered to be the largest crocodilian in history, reaching lengths of around 35 feet and weighed around 3 to 5 short tons. Deinosuchus was closer related to Alligators than to crocodiles however it neither only being part of the Alligatoroidea super family so it’s not a ‘true’ Alligator. Deinosuchus had a robust skull and short teeth meant for crushing bone giving it a estimated bit force of around 100,000 N. Alongside it’s massive size Deinosuchus is believed to be primarily a dinosaur hunter waiting in rivers and estuaries for unsuspecting dinosaurs to take a drink then preforming the death roll and draging them under. Various dinosaurs that may have been prey from Deinosuchus are Gryposaurus, Kritosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Chasmosaurus, Kosmoceratops, and various ankylosaurids tyrannosaurids and pachycephalosaurids. Deinosuchus is believed to take 35 years to reach maturity a slow growth rate compared to most crocodilyans but reasonable considering its size. I personally believe that Deinosuchus like many other crocodiles did not stop growing after maturity and there could be an exceptionally large individuals out there. Deinosuchus can be found all across a strip of North America, Canada and Mexico which would have been part of the continent Laramidia in the Late Cretaceous. Deinosuchus is also found around many costal environments, with Deinosuchus possibly hunting in some marine enviorments, however that is just speculation. Deinosuchus went extinct 74 mya before the KT-G extinction for unknown reasons however it was likely due to climate change.

History & Fossils ~ ~ ~ ~

Deinosuchus was discovered in the 1858 by teeth that were believed to be from a pliosaurid, and in 1903 osteoderms believed to be from a Euoplocephalus. The Discoverer John Bell Hatcher lost interest in the osteoderms when he learned they wern’t from a dinosaur and Deinosuchus wouldn’t be named until 1909 after he died.

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Media Deptictions ~ ~ ~ ~

The Isle Ever wanted to wait around two hours inside a river for one clueless dinosaur to risk taking a drink. Well Deinosuchus is for you although spawning as a tiny Deinosuchus may be challenging barely subsisting on the small ai fish Deinosuchus is one of the most powerful animals in The Isle. There is one particuarlly funny mutation that allows you to swim in salt water, but to do so you need to do nothing but chug salt water until you nearly die.