-
A model of the carnivorous dinosaur Armadillosuchus arrudai
Fossils found in Brazil are from a crocodile resembling a large
armadillo that was a predator in the area around modern-day Sao
Paulo state 90 million years ago, researchers said.
The two-metre-long, 120-kg crocodile, named the Armadillosuchus,
appears to have been unique to that area, the researchers at Rio de
Janeiro's Federal University said.
The creature displayed some characteristics of an armadillo, with
bony plates on its neck and back.
It had a carapace, a wide skull, a short, narrow snout, and
relatively small, specialized teeth that make it distinct from any
other crocodile discovered, the university said.
"The Armadillosuchus is only found in the interior of Sao Paulo
state and this is a surprise, partly because it challenges the idea
that crocodiles are found in hot and humid climates," UFRJ
paleontologist Ismar de Souza Carvalho told reporters.
"In this case, they are crocodiles that live in a climate that is
quite hot, dry and arid," he added.
The crocodile lived during the Cretaceous period, when temperatures
would have reached about 113 degree Fahrenheit, the researchers
said.
Researchers displayed fossils from the crocodile at a news
conference in Rio, including the head, ribs, and foot.
The fossils were first found in 2005.
World News Video
-
Dangerous rush to Everest summit (1:59)
-
Dozens killed in Syrian massacre (2:09)
-
'King of Romance' competes in Eurovision (1:46)
