Scientists have uncovered the fossil of a giant killer crocodile that may have gone head-to-head with dinosaurs 70 million years ago.
The remains of Kostensuchus Atrox (K. Atrox) – including its skull, jaws and part of its skeleton – were dug up near El Calafate in southern Patagonia, Argentina.
Researchers from the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, led by Fernando Novas, believe the beast was a 11.5ft, 250kg “hypercarnivore” – a meat-munching apex predator at the top of the food chain.
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The fearsome croc, part of the extinct peirosaurid family related to modern gators, prowled the region when it was teeming with dinosaurs, turtles, frogs and early mammals, as reported by Need To Know.
Unlike earlier omnivorous crocs, K. Atrox’s huge teeth suggest it was built for tearing into big prey – including dinos themselves.
Experts say the discovery supports the theory of a shift at the time from smaller, mixed-diet crocs to supersized predators.
Although not a dinosaur, scientists say the prehistoric monster was a dominant force – a true top predator of its era.
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