Amphibian · GBIF taxon 4815769
Koolasuchus cleelandi
Koolasuchus cleelandiKoolasuchus cleelandi was a colossal aquatic ambush predator that lurked in the high-latitude meltwater river systems of southern Australia during the Early Cretaceous. Thriving in polar climates too cold for contemporary crocodilians, it relied on a broad, heavily armored skull and upward-facing eyes to snap up prey swimming overhead. When winter freezes settled over the rift valleys, it likely entered dormancy submerged in river mud until spring thaws restored rushing currents.
PrehistoricCarnivorousAquatic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Freshwater lungfish
- Hypsilophodontid dinosaurs
- Early freshwater turtles
Predators
- Megaraptorid theropods
ThreatsCretaceous climate warming and competitive displacement by crocodilians
HabitatsPolar river valleys, fast-flowing cold streams, and floodplain lakes
Life spanEstimated 20–30 years
Classification
- FamilyChigutisauridae
- SpeciesKoolasuchus cleelandi
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct species known only from Cretaceous fossils; safe to observe in museum collections.
Responsible observation
- Museum Viewing: Examine original jaw and skull elements on display at Museums Victoria in Melbourne.
- Fossil Etiquette: Leave any suspected coastal Wonthaggi fossils untouched and report findings to authorized researchers.
Image unavailablePrey 
Prey Matthew C. Herne, Jay P. Nair, Alistair R. Evans and Alan M. Tait / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Predator Talisen / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Close Relative Stephen F. Poropat, Phil R. Bell, Lachlan J. Hart, Steven W. Salisbury, & Benjamin P. Kear / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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