Meet the 12-Foot, 550-Pound Predator That Hunted Dinosaurs 70 Million Years Ago

Quick Summary:

• Kostensuchus atrox, a newly discovered crocodyliform species from southern Patagonia, lived approximately 70 million years ago during the Maastrichtian Age of the Cretaceous period.
• Fossils were unearthed in Argentina’s Chorrillo Formation near El Calafate and include a skull, jaws, hip bones, rib bones, and fragments of leg bones.
• Measuring 12 feet long and weighing about 550 pounds, Kostensuchus was a “hypercarnivore” predator capable of subduing large prey like ornithischians (herbivorous dinosaurs).
• Despite being related to modern crocodiles and alligators, it belonged to the terrestrial peirosaurid group that went extinct during the same event as dinosaurs.
• The species’ anatomy indicates adaptations for both land mobility with longer limbs and possible aquatic movement.

Indian Opinion Analysis:
The discovery of Kostensuchus atrox sheds light on prehistoric ecosystems before the dinosaur extinction event. by unveiling features such as terrestrial mobility among crocodyliforms alongside predatory dominance over large creatures like dinosaurs, this research enriches our understanding of ancient biodiversity dynamics.For india-which has its share of fossil-rich regions-the findings affirm global patterns in paleontology’s ability to reconstruct evolutionary environments through preserved anatomical evidence.

This highlights opportunities for Indian researchers to advance studies in indigenous fossil sites like Gujarat’s dinosaur-rich formations or Kutch’s marine fossil records while leveraging global academic collaborations in paleontology.

Read More: Discover Magazine Article Link