Deinosuchus

Deinosuchus Temporal range: Late Cretaceous Campanian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Possible late Santonian record[1]
Reconstructed D. hatcheri skeleton at the Natural History Museum of Utah
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Archosauria
Clade:	Pseudosuchia
Clade:	Crocodylomorpha
Clade:	Eusuchia
Genus:	†Deinosuchus Holland, 1909
Type species
†Deinosuchus hatcheri Holland, 1909
Other species
†D. rugosus (Emmons, 1858) [originally Polyptychodon] †D. riograndensis (Colbert & Bird, 1954) [originally Phobosuchus] †D. schwimmeri Cossette & Brochu, 2020
Synonyms
Polydectes Cope, 1869 Phobosuchus Nopcsa, 1924

Deinosuchus is an extinct genus of eusuchian, either an alligatoroid crocodilian or a stem-group crocodilian, which lived during the Late Cretaceous around 83 to 72 million years ago. The first remains were discovered in North Carolina (United States) in the 1850s, and the genus was first described in 1909. Additional fragments were discovered in the 1940s and were later incorporated into an influential, though inaccurate, skull reconstruction at the American Museum of Natural History. Knowledge of Deinosuchus remains incomplete, but better cranial material found in recent years has expanded scientific understanding of this massive predator.

Although Deinosuchus was far larger than any modern crocodile or alligator, with the largest adults measuring 10.6 meters (35 ft) in total length, its overall appearance was fairly similar to its smaller relatives. It had large, robust teeth built for crushing, and its back was covered with thick hemispherical osteoderms. One study indicated Deinosuchus may have lived for up to 50 years, growing at a rate similar to that of modern crocodilians, but maintaining this growth over a much longer time.

Deinosuchus fossils have been discovered in 12 U.S. states, including Texas, Montana, and many along the East Coast. Fossils have also been found in northern Mexico. It lived on both sides of the Western Interior Seaway, and was an opportunistic apex predator in the coastal regions of eastern North America. Deinosuchus reached its largest size in its western habitat, but the eastern populations were far more abundant. Opinion remains divided as to whether these two populations represent separate species. Deinosuchus was probably capable of killing and eating large dinosaurs. It may have also fed upon sea turtles, fish, and other aquatic and terrestrial prey.