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Chimaerasuchus

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Chimaerasuchus ("chimera crocodile") is an extinct genus of Chinese crocodyliform from the Early Cretaceous Wulong Formation. The four teeth in the very tip of its short snout gave it a "bucktoothed" appearance. Due its multicusped teeth and marked heterodonty, it is believed to have been an herbivore. Chimaerasuchus was originally discovered in the 1960s but not identified as a crocodyliform until 1995, instead thought to possibly be a multituberculate mammal. It is highly unusual, as only two other crocodyliforms (Notosuchus and an unnamed specimen from Malawi) have displayed any characteris

Species

GENUS

  1. KingdomAnimalia
  2. PhylumChordata
  3. FamilyChimaerasuchidae

via GBIF

Wikidata facts

Instance of
taxon
Image
Chimaerasuchus paradoxus.jpg
Show 3 more facts
taxon name
Chimaerasuchus
taxon rank
genus
Commons category
Chimaerasuchus
Sources (1)

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Encyclopedic overview

8 sections
Contents
  • Features
  • General features and size
  • Skull and mandible
  • Spinal column
  • Osteoderms
  • Pectoral girdle and forelimbs
  • Pelvic girdle and hindlimbs
  • References

Chimaerasuchus ("chimera crocodile") is an extinct genus of Chinese crocodyliform from the Early Cretaceous Wulong Formation. The four teeth in the very tip of its short snout gave it a "bucktoothed" appearance. Due its multicusped teeth and marked heterodonty, it is believed to have been an herbivore. Chimaerasuchus was originally discovered in the 1960s but not identified as a crocodyliform until 1995, instead thought to possibly be a multituberculate mammal. It is highly unusual, as only two other crocodyliforms (Notosuchus and an unnamed specimen from Malawi) have displayed any characteristics resembling its adaptations to herbivory.

== Features == left|thumb|Life reconstruction

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Chimaerasuchus” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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