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Lower
Cretaceous
Crocodiles
The fragmentary crocodile material from the Australian Cretaceous
is found only in Albian age deposits. An isolated quadratojugal (skull
bone) and several dermal scutes from an unidentified crocodilian that
was estimated to be less than 2 m long, have been found at Dinosaur
Cove, Victoria in the Eumeralla Formation. An incomplete mandible of
Crocodylus (Bottosaurus)
selaslophensis has been found at Lightning Ridge in the
Griman Creek Formation. The teeth of this specimen are set in a common
groove, an unusual condition that is not seen in any other known
crocodyliform. According to the authors1
this makes the validity of its name and even its identification
doubtful.
At lightning ridge crocodyliform remains that are indisputable have
been found in the opal-bearing clays, from a form that had a broad snout
and laterally compressed teeth designed for shearing meat. There was
also a form in which the teeth were more conical that is suggested by
the authors1 to be
indicative of a fish-eating form.
Sources & Further reading
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Kear, B.P. &
Hamilton-Bruce, R.J., 2011, Dinosaurs in Australia, Mesozoic life
from the southern continent, CSIRO Publishing.
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