This 210-million-year-old crocodile cousin was built for biting

On a fateful day 210 million years ago, two crocodile cousins about the size of jackals stood side-by-side amid the low ferns of a humid riverbank that would one day become northern New Mexico.

One of the crocs, Hesperosuchus agilis, had a long snout, large back legs, and smaller, thinner arms. A land dweller, Hesperosuchus was speedy and liked to hunt for food near rivers and streams.

His companion, though of similar size, cut a different swath through the prehistoric shrubs. He had a shorter snout, a more reinforced skull, and expanded jaw muscles perfect for snapping shut on large prey. Not that any of these physical attributes could forestall his ultimate… more