Reptile
Ticinosuchus ferox
Ticinosuchus feroxAlso known as Ticino Crocodile
Ticinosuchus prowled coastal environments of Middle Triassic Europe, walking with an efficient quadrupedal stance supported by specialized pillar-erect hips. Armored with paired rows of bony osteoderms running down its spine, this swift carnivore pursued small terrestrial vertebrates along the edges of ancient lagoons. Its preserved skeletons in marine strata suggest that carcasses occasionally washed into deep, oxygen-poor waters where they escaped scavengers.
PrehistoricCarnivorousArmored
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySmall reptiles, Early cynodonts, Temnospondyl amphibians
Predators
- Larger predatory archosaurs
ThreatsTriassic ecosystem turnovers and climatic shifts
HabitatsArid coastal margins and subtropical floodplains
Life spanEstimated 15–25 years
Classification
- FamilyRauisuchidae
- GenusTicinosuchus
- SpeciesTicinosuchus ferox
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Extinct species known only from Middle Triassic fossil deposits.
Responsible observation
- Museum Displays: Examine articulated fossil skeletons at the Paleontological Museum of the University of Zurich.
- Field Excursions: Hike the UNESCO World Heritage trails around Monte San Giorgio to view the rock formations that yielded its bones.
Neighbor Ghedoghedo / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Neighbor Neil Pezzoni / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Close Relative Vince Smith from London, United Kingdom / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Ghedoghedo / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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