Thalattosuchus
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Related on Lably
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Discovery and species
Fossil specimens referrable to Thalattosuchus are known from Middle-Late Jurassic deposits of England, France and Germany.
The type species of Thalattosuchus was initially described as Crocodilus superciliosus in 1852. During the 1860s the species superciliosus was moved to the genera Teleosaurus and Metriorhynchus. The type specimen of superciliosus was largely neglected in the literature, and was figured in 2018 and figured again in 2020 when the genus Thalattosuchus was created for the species.
Only one species is recognised, the type species T. superciliosus.
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Description
Measuring 3–4.5 m (9.8–14.8 ft) in length, Thalattosuchus was similar size to modern crocodiles. However, it had a streamlined body and a finned tail, making it a more efficient swimmer than modern crocodylian species.
Palaeobiology
Salt glands
Thalattosuchus had nasal salt glands which, like the salt glands of all other marine reptiles, were used to remove excess salt. This means that like Cricosaurus it would have been able to "drink" salt-water and eat equally salty prey, such as cephalopods, without dehydrating.