Malawisuchus (SciiFii)

The prairie crocodile (Malawisuchus glosbe), also known as the prairie croc, is a species of notosuchian mesoeucrocodylian that originally lived from the Early Cretaceous in what is now the Dinosaur Beds of Malawi as an extinct species, Malawisuchus mwakasyungutiensis, and the genus itself was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and introduced throughout the wetlands, forests, open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, and scrublands across South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Eswantini, and Botswana to help boost biodiversity. The prairie crocodile has unusual, mammal-like teeth, including teeth with multiple cusps in the rear of the jaw. Its jaw joint allows it to process its food with a forward motion. The neck is strong, and the articulations of the hind leg allows an upright posture and an ability to run swiftly, while the muscle attachments on the upper arm allows digging. It is a small crocodilian, only about 60 centimetres (24 inches) long. The prairie crocodile is able to dig burrows, but can successfully coexist with meerkats (Suricata suricatta) without any major conflicts. The prairie crocodile is mostly herbivorous, feeding primarily on broadleaf forbs, roots, seeds, fruit, buds, tumbleweeds, dandelions, saltbush, cacti, and tubers, although it can supplement its diet with insects. Highly social, prairie crocodiles live in large colonies or "towns" and collections of prairie crocodile families that can span hundreds of acres. Members of a family group inhabit the same territory. Family groups of prairie crocodiles are called "coteries" or "clans". Although the families in the western part of the species' range tend to be more closely knit, the families in the more eastern part of the species' range are more loosely knit. Members of a family group interact through oral contact and grooming one another. They do not perform these behaviors with prairie crocodiles from other family groups. A prairie crocodile clan may contain 15–26 family groups. Females dig a nest hole in a deep burrow and lay the eggs inside, filling it up and using their snouts to compact the soil. The females often dig false nests nearby and shovel soil around the area. They sometimes make use of a termite mound to nest. A single clutch of about 20 eggs are laid. The eggs hatch in 148 to nearly as long as 202 days. About 50-80% of the eggs may hatch. Captive specimens have been known to live for nearly 24 years, but they usually live nearly half as long in the wild, most likely due to predation. The conservation status of the prairie crocodile is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the prairie crocodile's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii