Fossil skull of the ancient crocodile genus

Fossil skull of the ancient crocodile genus

Proterosuchus, an extinct archosaurid reptile, is a genus of the family Proterosidae that lived in early Triassic China and South Africa. The ancient crocodile is one of the famous early archosaurs, resembling modern crocodiles in appearance, and may be the distant ancestor of modern crocodiles. Ancient crocodiles may attack prey near the water by ambush. Their maxillary anterior end is curved downwards, and the palatine bone has teeth, which is a primitive feature that was lost by later archosaurs. In the early Triassic period, ancient crocodiles were one of the largest land reptiles, with a body size similar to modern Komodo dragons.