Re: what a croc

[NJPharris@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/27/02 7:43:32 AM Pacific Daylight Time, tonyc@foe.co.uk writes:


> Mike Taylor wrote:
> .  Neither a
> >         crocodile nor an alligator, it was an ancestor of both modern
> >         groups, but it reached weights of many tons and it had some
> >         features unique to the species.  
>
> Is there any basis for this claim of ancestral status, or is this just
> media over-simplification leading to a nonsensical statement? 
> Presumably
> it is logically impossible to demonstrate ancestor status, but is 
> Deinosuchus truly a *possible* ancestor of modern crocodilians?  

_Deinosuchus_ is not a direct ancestor to any modern crocodilian.  If I remember correctly, according to HP Chris Brochu, it is closer to modern alligators than to modern crocodiles.

--Nick P.