新闻:澳大利亚昆士兰州发现大型史前鳄类化石
冷血天堂吧
全部回复
仅看楼主
level 8
一楼鸣谢化石网论坛

2012年08月05日 05点08分 1
level 8
发现的古鳄化石可能属于强壮沼王鳄Pallimnarchus pollens,一种生存于上新世到更新世澳洲大陆的大型马氏鳄科,过去曾经在双门齿兽的骨骼花市上发现过沼王鳄属的齿痕。此次发现的个体体型巨大,全长可能达到8米。
Croc and awe over dino-mite fossil found in northwest Queensland
SCIENTISTS have found what they believe to be the jawbone of an ancient "monster" crocodile at a remote station in northwest Queensland.
They estimate the extinct saltie could have been the length of a Brisbane City Council bus and may have once roamed as far south as the state's capital.
University of Queensland palaeontologist Gilbert Price said the fossil was found by masters student Bok Khoo, from the University of NSW, during a dig last month.
"It would have been a monster, bigger than anything we have likely seen before," Dr Price said.
"Possibly the biggest in Australia. It did not have any teeth attached but the tooth sockets alone were 35mm-40mm wide so you can imagine the teeth it had."
The front lower jaw bone was found near a disused road crossing along the Leichhardt River, near Floraville station, on July 10. It was found in an ancient riverbed deposit formed during the Pliocene and Pleistocene periods, one to two million years ago. Dr Price, who was on the dig, said the expedition involved keeping "one eye on the fossils and one on the riverbank" at all times.
The area is full of saltwater and freshwater crocs, sharks, rays," he said.
Scientists believe the ancient crocodile may belong to the genus Pallimnarchus, an extinct mekosuchine crocodylian from the Pliocene and Pleistocene period. They will conduct radiometric dating but believe it belongs to the species Pallimnarchus pollens - the largest of the genus.
"It was the apex predator and had a wide range, right down the east coast and inland to Lake Eyre, so it is incredible to think these monster crocs would have roamed where the city is today, when the climate was much different to today," Dr Price said.
2012年08月05日 05点08分 2
level 8
此次发现古鳄化石的地点
Professor Mike Archer of the UNSW described the fossilised remains as "weird to say the least". He said the sheer number of unusual fossils being dug up in outback Queensland meant he could not rule out it being an entirely new species. "If it is not a crocodile, it is a bunyip, or something equally as weird," he joked. "Something very, very big that we have never seen before."
Mekosuchine crocodiles were versatile beasts with smaller ones thought to have climbed trees and bigger ones believed to have hunted prey on dry land rather than in the water. Royal Institution of Australia director Dr Paul Willis said the fossil specimen may also belong to Pallimnarchus gracilis, a slightly smaller croc but equally as impressive.
He said he suspected the jawbone belonged to a croc at least 8m long
2012年08月05日 05点08分 3
level 8
更正:强壮沼王鳄应该是真鳄科,马氏鳄亚科的,刚才手滑了
2012年08月05日 05点08分 4
1