Your Daily Fossil

Terrestrisuchus 

When: Late Triassic to Early Jurassic (204-200 million years ago)

Where: Wales

What: Terrestrisuchus is a early crocodile-relative. It at first glance bears little resemblance to the sprawling aquatic crocodiles of today, but detailed study of the skeletal features of this Triassic animal leaves no doubt it is an early branch off the evolutionary lineage leading to modern crocodiles. It was rather small, only 20 inches (~50cm) long, and has been reconstructed with a very thin build. Terrestrisuchus was not a swimmer, instead it was able to run after prey with great speed over the hot and arid desert landscape of Triassic Wales.  The lithe body and terrestrial habitat of Terrestrisuchus were not aberrant for early crocodile relatives, it was not until the later Mesozoic that the modern crocodile body plan appeared.