Paleobiology Cerrejonisuchus

1 paleobiology

1.1 feeding strategy
1.2 paleoenvironment
1.3 paleobiogeography

paleobiology
feeding strategy

cerrejonisuchus had diet consisting of fish, invertebrates, frogs, lizards, small snakes, , possibly mammals. short snout of cerrejonisuchus thought adaptation such generalized diet. other long-snouted marine dyrosaurs presumed have had piscivorous diet consisting solely of fish. short snout, cerrejonisuchus have been able occupy new ecological niche in neotropical rainforest environment of paleocene colombia.

paleoenvironment

the cerrejón coal mine, remains of cerrejonisuchus have been found.

cerrejonisuchus known middle late paleocene cerrejón formation. known specimens have been found cerrejón open-pit coal mine @ la puente pit below coal seam 90. mine has yielded remains of titanoboa cerrejonensis, described 12.8 metres (42 ft) long extinct boid largest known snake have ever existed. cerrejonisuchus, fossils of titanoboa found in gray claystone layer directly underlying coal seam 90. additional dyrosaurid material has been found cerrejón formation alongside of cerrejonisuchus, , thought represent @ least 2 different taxa. age of cerrejón formation has been dated middle-late paleocene based on carbon isotopes, pollen, spores, , dinoflagellate cysts.

the section of cerrejón formation fossils of cerrejonisuchus have been found deposited in transitional environment, brackish water in river-to-lagoonal setting. large freshwater podocnemidid turtles , dipnoan , elopomorph fishes have been found part of formation. cerrejonisuchus may have been food source titanoboa, have lived in same brackish water environment. vertebrate paleofauna of cerrejón formation similar modern neotropical riverine vertebrate faunas.

during paleocene, river systems have incised coastal plain covered wet neotropical rainforest. global temperature warmer today, based on paleoclimate models. latitudinal temperature gradient between equator , mid-latitudes of south america similar gradient exists today. elevated levels of carbon dioxide in atmosphere thought have caused global greenhouse temperature. high rainfall estimates , increased pco2 have maintained rainforest floras during paleocene greenhouse.

paleobiogeography

the presence of dyrosaurids such cerrejonisuchus in paleocene of colombia suggests there radiation of dyrosaurids in south america following cretaceous–paleogene boundary (k–t boundary) , cretaceous–paleogene extinction event. there may have been dispersal africa brazil, , continued immigration north america. colombia can seen transitional route brazil north america, , bolivia, assuming coastal.