Diplocynodon
Extinct genus of reptiles / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Diplocynodon?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
Diplocynodon is an extinct genus of alligatoroid crocodilian that lived during the Paleocene to Middle Miocene in Europe. Some species may have reached lengths of 3 metres (9.8 ft),[7] while others probably did not exceed 1 metre (3.3 ft).[8] They are almost exclusively found in freshwater environments.[9] The various species are thought to have been opportunistic aquatic predators.[10]
Diplocynodon | |
---|---|
Diplocynodon ratelii | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Clade: | Archosauromorpha |
Clade: | Archosauriformes |
Order: | Crocodilia |
Superfamily: | Alligatoroidea |
Subfamily: | †Diplocynodontinae Brochu, 1999 |
Genus: | †Diplocynodon Pomel, 1847 |
Species | |
| |
Synonyms | |
In the nineteenth century, D. steineri was named from Styria, Austria and D. styriacus was named from Austria and France. A third Austrian species, Enneodon ungeri, was placed in its own genus. The Austrian and French species of Diplocynodon were synonymized with E. ungeri in 2011, and because the name Diplocynodon has priority over Enneodon, the species is now called D. ungeri.[11] Other genera have recently been found to be synonymous with Diplocynodon. Hispanochampsa muelleri of Spain was determined to be synonymous with Diplocynodon in 2006,[5] and Baryphracta deponaie of Germany was confirmed to be synonymous with Diplocynodon in 2012.[3]
Well preserved specimens have been found in the Messel Pit and the Geiseltal lignite deposit in Germany. Most articulated Diplocynodon specimens from these localities contain gastroliths. In the Eocene epoch, the German sites were either a swampy freshwater lake (Messel Pit) or a peat bog swamp (Geiseltal).