Shamosuchus
sp., skull
Archosauria: Crocodilia: Paralligatoridae
Locality: Gobi
Desert, southern Mongolia
Age: Late Cretaceous (Santonian), 85 million years
ago
The
skull of this primitive crocodilian (a mesosuchian, a group more primitive than
living
crocodiles) had teeth specialized for crushing its prey.
This genus existed in
Mongolia until the end of the Cretaceous.
It's name
is derived from "shamo", the ancient name for Gobi.
