Allodaposuchus
Encyclopedia
Allodaposuchus is an extinct genus
of eusuchia
n crocodylomorph and an early relative of crocodilians. It lived during the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian
-Maastrichtian
) in Southern Europe (Spain
, Romania
, and France
).
Fragmentary remains of Allodaposuchus precedens were found at Valioara, in the Hateg Basin in Romania
.
These fragments were originally identified as Crocodilus affuvelensis Matheron, 1869, whose nests have been found in France
.
Both species were considered as synonymous; nevertheless, C. affuvelensis has been recently recognized as belonging to the genus Massaliasuchus
.
More recently (2006), a complete skull of A. precedens has been discovered in the Maastrichtian locality of Oarda de Jos in the southwestern Transylvanian Basin of Romania and shed new lights on the phylogeny of the genus.
It probably grew to about 10 feet long in length, depending what type of environment it lived in.
TV series Dinosaur Planet
, where it was described by Christian Slater
as "a long name for an animal short on brains, but totally fearless in battle".
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of eusuchia
Eusuchia
Eusuchia is a clade of crocodylomorphs that first appears in the Early Cretaceous with Hylaeochampsa. All living crocodilian species are eusuchians, as are many extinct forms.-Description:...
n crocodylomorph and an early relative of crocodilians. It lived during the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian
Campanian
The Campanian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the fifth of six ages of the Late Cretaceous epoch . The Campanian spans the time from 83.5 ± 0.7 Ma to 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma ...
-Maastrichtian
Maastrichtian
The Maastrichtian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the latest age or upper stage of the Late Cretaceous epoch or Upper Cretaceous series, the Cretaceous period or system, and of the Mesozoic era or erathem. It spanned from 70.6 ± 0.6 Ma to 65.5 ± 0.3 Ma...
) in Southern Europe (Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
).
Fragmentary remains of Allodaposuchus precedens were found at Valioara, in the Hateg Basin in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.
These fragments were originally identified as Crocodilus affuvelensis Matheron, 1869, whose nests have been found in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Both species were considered as synonymous; nevertheless, C. affuvelensis has been recently recognized as belonging to the genus Massaliasuchus
Massaliasuchus
Massaliasuchus is an extinct genus of crocodylian that is known from fossils found in Santonian-Campanian-age Upper Cretaceous rocks of southeastern France. Fossils belonging to this genus were published in 1869 by Matheron as Crocodilus affuvelensis. The new genus name was given to it in 2008 by...
.
More recently (2006), a complete skull of A. precedens has been discovered in the Maastrichtian locality of Oarda de Jos in the southwestern Transylvanian Basin of Romania and shed new lights on the phylogeny of the genus.
It probably grew to about 10 feet long in length, depending what type of environment it lived in.
In popular culture
Allodaposuchus is featured in the second episode of the Discovery ChannelDiscovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
TV series Dinosaur Planet
Dinosaur Planet (television series)
Dinosaur Planet is a four-part American nature documentary first aired on Discovery Channel in 2003. It was hosted by Scott Sampson and narrated by Christian Slater....
, where it was described by Christian Slater
Christian Slater
Christian Michael Leonard Slater is an American actor. He made his film debut with a small role in The Postman Always Rings Twice before playing a leading role in the 1985 film The Legend of Billie Jean...
as "a long name for an animal short on brains, but totally fearless in battle".