Thoosuchus

Geologic Era: Early Triassic

Size: Roughly 60 cm long

Estimated Range: Modern Russia

Extinction: Early Triassic

Below is a cast of the skull of Thoosuchus. Our specimen is a bit smaller than the average for the animal, as skulls are generally 15 centimeters long. This made up roughly a quarter the length of the animal.

In terms of behavior, Thoosuchus probably behaved similarly to a crocodile, lurking in the water and waiting for prey to come along. Amphibians as a rule are somewhat confined to water due to the nature of their skin, which tends to lose water quickly. In addition, Thoosuchus had a well developed lateral line system, which would help it detect pressure and electrical changes in water (such as when potential prey entered). Prey possibly included smaller reptiles and anphibians, fish, and perhaps any insects that blundered too close to the water’s edge.

Image Credits:

Life Restoration: By Smokeybjb – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6568681