Pseudosuchians facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pseudosuchia |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Ornithosuchidae | |
 |
|
| Suchia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Class: | |
| Subclass: |
Archosauria
|
| Infraclass: |
Pseudosuchia
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Crocodylotarsi Benton & Clark, 1988 |
|
Pseudosuchia ("false crocodiles") is a big group of ancient reptiles. They are one of the two main branches of archosaurs. This group includes all living crocodilians, like crocodiles and alligators. It also includes many extinct reptiles that were more closely related to crocodiles than to birds.
Think of Pseudosuchia as the "crocodile-line archosaurs." They were a diverse group of prehistoric reptiles. Many of them looked a lot like crocodiles. They lived during the Triassic period, a very long time ago.
What Pseudosuchians Looked Like
Pseudosuchians often had a very large skull. Their snout, which is like a nose and mouth area, was usually narrow and long. They had a short, strong neck.
Some of these animals moved with a typical reptile sprawl. This means their legs stuck out to the sides. But many Pseudosuchians had an upright stance. This is similar to how dinosaurs or mammals stand. Their bodies were often covered with tough, armored plates called scutes. These plates helped protect them. Many of these ancient creatures grew to be three meters (about 10 feet) or even longer!
How Pseudosuchians Evolved
Pseudosuchians first appeared in the late Lower Triassic period. By the late Middle Triassic, they were the main meat-eating animals on land. Their most successful time was the Upper Triassic. During this period, there were many different kinds of Pseudosuchians. Some were fierce meat-eaters, and one group even ate plants.
A huge event called the end Triassic extinction happened. This event caused most Pseudosuchians to die out. However, the ancestors of today's crocodiles survived. Scientists believe that huge volcanic eruptions changed the climate. This led to a mass extinction. It wiped out many of the dinosaurs' main rivals. This allowed dinosaurs to become the dominant animals on land. They took over as the main meat-eaters and plant-eaters.
As the Mesozoic Era continued, more crocodile-like forms developed. Dinosaurs were the most powerful animals on land. But these early crocodiles thrived in rivers, swamps, and even the oceans. These ancient crocodiles were much more diverse than the crocodiles we see today.
Then came the end Cretaceous extinction. This event caused the dinosaurs to die out, except for birds. But the crocodilians continued to live on with little change. Today, crocodiles, alligators, and gharials are the only living relatives of this ancient group.
Images for kids
-
Mounted skeleton of the Triassic species Saurosuchus galilei
See also
In Spanish: Pseudosuchia para niños
