What is Deinosuchus?
Q: What is Deinosuchus?
A: Deinosuchus is an extinct relative of the alligator which lived 80 to 73 million years ago, in the Upper Cretaceous period.
Q: When was it first discovered?
A: The first remains were discovered in North Carolina in the 1850s.
Q: How large was Deinosuchus?
A: Deinosuchus was far larger than any modern crocodile or alligator; it was up to 12 m (39 ft) and weighed up to 8.5 metric tons (9.4 short tons).
Q: Where have fossils been found?
A: Fossils of Deinosuchus have been found in ten U.S. states, as well as northern Mexico. It lived on both sides of the Western Interior Seaway.
Q: Was it more abundant on one side of the seaway than the other?
A: Yes, Deinosuchus reached its largest size in its western habitat, but the eastern populations were far more abundant.
Q: What did it feed upon? A: It is believed that Deinosuchus may have fed upon sea turtles, fish, and other aquatic and terrestrial prey, including large dinosaurs.
Q: How long did they live for? A: One study suggests that Deinosuchus may have lived for up to 50 years, growing at a similar rate to that of modern crocodilians but growing for a much longer period
