RE: Fossil Crocs Found In Brazil

[Tim Holt <afsan@iinet.net.au>]

Here's the reference and abstract

Title: Baurusuchus salgadoensis, a new crocodylomorpha from the Bauru Basin
(Cretaceous), Brazil 
Author(s): Carvalho ID, Campos ADA, Nobre PH 
Source: GONDWANA RESEARCH 8 (1): 11-30 JAN 2005 
     
Abstract: Baurusuchus salgadoensis is a new baurusuchid crocodylomorph from
Bauru Basin (Cretaceous), Brazil, partially preserved through a complete
skull. The fossil comes from a fine sandstone sequence of Adamantina
Formation, General Salgado County, Sao Paulo State. The sedimentary sequence
where it was found, located in Fazenda Buriti, is considered
Turonian-Santonian in age. The described species - Baurusuchus salgadoensis
sp. nov. - is a baurusuchid with an antorbital fenestra, double external
nares with a bony septum, two well-fused supraorbitals, the supratemporal
fenestrae larger than the orbits and a quadrangular-shaped laterotemporal
fenestra. The position of the external nares, located on anterior and
terminal portion of the rostrum together with the theropod-like lateral
compression of the snout and teeth are indicators that Baurusuchus
salgadoensis was a terrestrial crocodyliform. This was a carnivorous species
and the lateral compression of the rostrum could be interpreted as a
mechanism to increase the skull resistance forces during biting. The
pointed, conical teeth, some with crenulated borders, could be used to
perforate and to carve the prey The geological context of Baurusuchus
scilgadoensis indicates that it probably lived in a hot and and climate.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu] On Behalf Of
Richard W. Travsky
Sent: Thursday, 9 June 2005 8:30 AM
To: dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: Fossil Crocs Found In Brazil


yahoo news link, these don't persist long (but will show up elsewhere
before too long)...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050608/ap_on_sc/brazil_prehistoric_crocodile;_y
lt=AnoNLPzdjXwXTckcIx4NLK0PLBIF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Scientists on Wednesday unveiled 11 skeletons of
prehistoric crocodiles and said their discovery suggests that an ancient
land bridge once linked South America to Indo-Pakistan.

The fossilized skeletons of the Baurusuchus salgadoensis appear to be
closely related to another ancient crocodile species, the Pabwehshi
pakistanesis discovered in Pakistan, scientists from Rio de Janeiro's
Federal University said.

"This discovery really proves that South America was at one time linked to
the India-Pakistan bloc and this link could have only been through
Antarctica or Australia," said Rudolph Trouw, regional editor of the
scientific magazine Gondwana Research.

The Baurusuchus salgadoensis lived some 90 million years ago in an area of
southeastern Brazil known as the Bauru Basin, some 700 kilometers (450
miles) west of modern-day Rio de Janeiro, said Pedro Henrique Nobre, one
of the authors of the crocodiles' scientific description.
...

-- 
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.5 - Release Date: 7/06/2005
 

-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.6 - Release Date: 8/06/2005