View source for Biology:Stomatosuchus

{{Short description|Extinct genus of reptiles}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = [[Earth:Late Cretaceous|Late Cretaceous]], {{fossilrange|100|94}} [[Earth:Cenomanian|Cenomanian]]
| image = Stomatosuchus2.jpg
| taxon = Stomatosuchus
| authority = Stromer, 1925
| type_species = {{extinct}}'''''Stomatosuchus inermis'''''
| type_species_authority = Stromer, 1925
}}

'''''Stomatosuchus''''' (type species ''S. inermis'') is an extinct stomatosuchid neosuchian from the [[Earth:Late Cretaceous|Late Cretaceous]] ([[Earth:Cenomanian|Cenomanian]]) of [[Place:Egypt|Egypt]]. Much of what is known about ''Stomatosuchus'' has been inferred from the related [[Biology:Genus|genus]] ''[[Biology:Laganosuchus|Laganosuchus]]''.

== Description ==
It grew to a length of {{convert|10|m|ft}}, and possessed a long, flattened skull with lid-like jaws that were lined with small, conical teeth and the skull reached up to {{convert|2|m|ft}} long. The mandible may have been toothless and perhaps even supported a pelican-like throat pouch.<ref name="Naish, 2002">Naish, D. 2002. [https://darrennaish.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/naish-2001-geology-today-crocodilians.pdf Fossils explained 34: Crocodilians]. ''Geology Today'' '''2''': 71-77. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190124041845/https://darrennaish.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/naish-2001-geology-today-crocodilians.pdf Archived copy] from 24 January 2019.</ref> This pouch however could have been used to scoop up fish and sharks much like a modern day pelican, the conical teeth would prevent the prey for escaping. Due to such a bizarre skull structure, much about the diet of ''S. inermis'' remains unknown.

The only known specimen of ''S. inermis'' consisted of a partial skull and two caudal vertebrae. It was collected in Egypt during 1911 by the German paleontologist Ernst Stromer whilst on an expedition.<ref name="SE25">Stromer, E. (1925). [http://publikationen.badw.de/008681374.pdf Ergebnisse der Forschungsreisen Prof. E. Stromers in den Wüsten Ägyptens. II. Wirbeltier-Reste der Baharije-Stufe (unterstes Cenoman). 7. ''Stomatosuchus inermis'' Stromer, ein schwach bezahnter Krokodilier und 8. Ein Skelettrest des Pristiden ''Onchopristis numidus'' Haug sp.] Abhandlungen der Bayerischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Abteilung 30(6): 1–22.</ref> It was delivered to the Munich Museum, which was later destroyed by an Allied bombing raid in 1944. Currently, only photographs of the specimen remain.

== Habitat ==
It is likely that ''S. inermis'' lived in the marshy lowlands of what is now the Eastern Sahara Desert. It may have populated the entirety of Northern Africa but due to the only fossil evidence of the species being destroyed and no other bones having been found since, it is impossible to establish an exact range.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
Stomatosuchus inermis.jpg|Comparison of ''Stomatosuchus'' (center) with ''[[Biology:Retodus|Retodus]]'' (top) ''[[Biology:Laganosuchus|Laganosuchus]]'' (bottom)
File:Stomatosuchus skull.png|Skull seen from two angles
File:Stomatosuchus skull Stromer 1925jpg.jpg|Holotype skull
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q136860}}

[[Category:Bahariya Formation]]
[[Category:Cenomanian genera]]
[[Category:Prehistoric marine crocodylomorphs]]
[[Category:Prehistoric pseudosuchian genera]]



{{Sourceattribution|Stomatosuchus}}