Sarcosuchus

## Physiology

### Attributes

Long snout; large size; powerful jaws; overall appearance identical to a gharial

## Biography

### Time

133 to 112 MYA

> *It's not a crocodile, even though it looks like one. It's a close cousin of the crocodiles. Called Sarcosuchus. It grows much bigger than crocodiles.*
>
> Narrator, describing *Sarcosuchus*, Wonders of the Savannah

***Sarcosuchus*** (name meaning "*Flesh Crocodile*") is a genus of crocodyliform that originated during the Early Cretaceous period in what is now South America and Africa. Measuring 12 meters long and weighing 8 tons, *Sarcosuchus* was one of the largest crocodylomorphs to ever exist, second after *Deinosuchus*. One of the top predators of its time, it hunted dinosaurs, such as iguanodonts and juvenile sauropods.

In the episode "*Wonders of the Savannah*," a pair of *Sarcosuchus* was lived in Middle Cretaceous Africa, 112 million years ago.

## Facts

### Era & Discovery

*Sarcosuchus* lived in South America and Africa during the Early to Middle Cretaceous period from 133 – 100 million years ago. It was one of the top predators of its time, after the land predators of both regions, such as *Ouranosaurus*, *Suchomimus*, *Araripesuchus*, *Eocarcharia*, *Lurdusaurus*, and *Nigersaurus*.

The first remains of *Sarcosuchus* were discovered during several expeditions led by the French paleontologist Albert-Félix de Lapparent, spanning from 1946 to 1959, in the Sahara.

### Physical Attributes

Growing far larger than any modern crocodile, *Sarcosuchus* was a massive crocodilian, measuring over 40 feet (12 m) in length and weighed 6 – 8 tons (13,000 – 17,000 lbs.), making it the second largest crocodilian ever to exist, after the giant crocodilian *Deinosuchus.* Because of its titanic size, *Sarcosuchus* was able to hunt dinosaurs. *Sarcosuchus* had a large body, which was covered in brown, thick scales as well as a long, flat tail.

Additionally, *Sarcosuchus* had an overall appearance that resembled the modern gharial rather than a proper crocodile, especially with its long, narrow pair of jaws with a large bulla by the snout, for a large creature. Like most crocodilians, *Sarcosuchus* had short legs, which were splayed out. This limited *Sarcosuchus'* mobility on land and so this reptile didn't stray too far from the water's edge.

### Behavior & Traits

As a giant crocodilian, *Sarcosuchus* is said to have behaved like its modern crocodilian relatives. They basked on the bank of rivers, ponds, and lakes and hunted by waiting in the water until an animal strayed too close. Then it would erupt from the water and snap its jaws at the prey animal. Normally, *Sarcosuchus* didn't chase its prey if it missed, for it was an ambush predator, yet if the prey is slow-moving and couldn't escape quickly enough from the predator, *Sarcosuchus* would pursue it for a while more.

*Sarcosuchus* hunted animals like *Iguanodon*, *Ouranosaurus*, *Barosaurus*, and even young *Argentinosaurus* could be taken by this predatory creature. However, if a large animal - say, an adult *Argentinosaurus* - approached it, it would retreat to the safety of the water.

## Trivia

* *Sarcosuchus* is the second largest species of crocodilian in the introduced, after *Deinosuchus*. Additionally, it was the one of many crocodilian introduced.
* The sound effects of *Sarcosuchus* are that of crocodile, elephant, and walrus sound effects.