Scientists have discovered the prehistoric giant crocodile in Australia

Millions of years ago, Australia was home to undoubted giant animals, including giant crocodiles. Scientists have recently discovered a new prehistoric species, which they named “Kungamarandu manala”. It is one of the largest crocodiles to have ever lived on the continent.

The host of the river

Prehistoric giant crocodile discovered by several researchers, including Jorko Ristevsky of the University of Queensland Australia. This animal ran in the waters of southeastern Queensland. Kungamarandu Manala The crocodile is said to be the host of the river with a hole in the head, due to the holes that serve as the site of the muscular connection located at the top of the skull.

« The name of the new species refers to the people of the first countries of the Darling Towns area, including words from the languages ​​of the Parungam and Waga Waka countries. Said Steve Salisbury, co-author of the study Scientific reports.

Zorko Ristevsky says it is difficult for scientists to estimate the size of the animal because it is only the back of its skull. The latter, however, claims that the skull is too large. According to him, it will be at least 80 centimeters long. ” We estimate that the skull would have been at least 80 cm long, which, compared to living crocodiles, represents a total body length of seven meters. », He pointed out.

Animal skulls were discovered many years ago

Piece of skull Kungamarandu Manala Collected in 1875. However, researchers have not been able to identify new species. Therefore, this skull has been placed since the early discovery of the Queensland Museum. Later, researchers developed a CD. They performed a digital reconstruction of the skull using scans. Crocodile.

From this digital reconstruction, they discovered that the species belonged to a group of crocodiles called domistomines. The reasons for the extinction of the species are not yet known. Scientists believe that the Australian continent has been gradually drying up over the past million years, especially the last 100,000 years, and that this could be linked.