Titanosuchus

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Titanosuchus
Temporal range: Late Permian
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Synapsida
Order: Therapsida
Suborder: Dinocephalia
Family: Titanosuchidae
Genus: Titanosuchus
Owen, 1876
Type species
T. ferox
Owen, 1876

Titanosuchus ferox ("Fierce Titan crocodile") was a dinocephalian therapsid that lived in the Mid Permian epoch in South Africa. Despite the name, it was not related to crocodiles.

Along with its close relatives, Jonkeria and Moschops, Titanosuchus inhabited present-day South Africa around 255 million years ago, in the Late Permian. Titanosuchus was a carnivore and might have eaten both Jonkeria and Moschops, among other vertebrates. Its teeth included sharp incisors and fang-like canines, perfect for biting prey.[1]

Titanosuchus rivals that to Titanophoneus[clarification needed], which is also a carnivore and a dinocephalian, but it lived only in Russia. Titanosuchus should not be confused with the therapsid Eotitanosuchus, which belonged to a different family.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 189. ISBN 1-84028-152-9. 
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