Paleontologists have unearthed the fossilized remains of a new species of the mekosuchine crocodilian genus Baru in the Alcoota Scientific Reserve, about 110 km northwest of Alice Springs in the Australia’s Northern Territory.
The newly-described crocodilian species lived during the Miocene epoch, approximately 8 million years ago.
The ancient reptile belongs to Baru, a genus that now includes three large crocodilian species from the Oligo-Miocene of Australia.
Named Baru iylwenpeny, the new species is the geologically youngest known member of the genus.
“The unveiling of Baru iylwenpeny marks a milestone in our understanding of Australia’s prehistoric fauna,” said Dr. Adam Yates, senior curator for earth sciences at the Megafauna Central, Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
“The first bones of Baru iylwenpeny surfaced during the inaugural scientific excavations at Alcoota in the early 1960s by Michael Woodburne, providing us with tantalising glimpses of its existence. However, it wasn’t until our recent dedicated efforts that we truly grasped its distinctiveness.”
“The moment we found the complete skull was truly exhilarating. It was like uncovering a missing puzzle piece that allowed us to finally understand the entirety of Baru iylwenpeny’s morphology and significance.”
“Australia was home to a remarkably diverse group of crocodilians called mekosuchines, of which the newly described species Baru iylwenpeny is a part of,” added University of Queensland’s Dr. Jorgo Ristevski.
“Although all mekosuchines are now extinct, their fossil remains are a testament to their abundance and importance in Australian ecosystems for tens of millions of years.”
“Some mekosuchines, such as Baru iylwenpeny, were the top predators in their respective environments.”
Baru iylwenpeny was a formidable creature, boasting a skull length of up to 50 cm and an estimated body length of 4 m, roughly equivalent to a large saltwater…
Read the full article here