Ancient Alligator’s Stubby Snout: A Possible Snail-Chomping Predator

An ancient alligator species with a small snout and a possible diet of snails was recently found from a fossil that was first unearthed 18 years ago.

In 2005, when a nearly entire human skull was discovered in northeast Thailand, its origins were a mystery. They initially thought it was an alligator because to the skull’s characteristic short and wide form, but this assumption needed to be confirmed.

“The skull was really bizarre,” Márton Rabi of the University of Tübingen in Germany remarked. “It was begging to be a new species,” one researcher said.

Rabi and his coworkers have lately taken on the task of determining the nature of the beast. In order to determine what kind of crocodile the mystery skull belonged to, researchers used computed tomography (CT) scans to compare it to the skulls of seven other live species, including the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), the Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis), and the spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus).

The short nose, the high cranium, and the wide head were all striking features. Its nostrils were set farther back on its snout, and it had fewer tooth sockets overall than other alligators of its size. The alligator’s diet may have included snails and other creatures with hard shells, as evidenced by the enormous tooth sockets in the back of its mouth.

This led the scientists to believe that this was a new species, which they named Alligator munensis after the adjacent Mun River because of its unique characteristics. Similar species fossils found in the area place the short-snouted alligator’s possible existence anywhere between 200,000 and a few thousand years ago. No one knows for sure what led to its demise.

Researchers believe that A. munensis and the Chinese alligator may have evolved from the same progenitor since they both have ridges on the top of their skulls and a relatively tiny aperture in the roof of their mouths. Millions of years ago, the Tibetan plateau may have divided their people.

Gustavo Darlim, a co-author on the study and a researcher at the University of Tübingen, says, “This discovery is significant in improving our understanding of alligator evolution.”

FAQs

Question 1: What is unique about the ancient alligator species, Alligator munensis?

Answer: Alligator munensis has a distinctive stubby snout, a high cranium, and a wide head. Its nostrils are set farther back on its snout, and it has fewer tooth sockets than other alligators of its size.

Question 2: How did researchers determine the diet of Alligator munensis?

Answer: Researchers observed enormous tooth sockets in the back of Alligator munensis’ mouth, indicating that its diet possibly included snails and other creatures with hard shells.

Question 3: How was the new alligator species named, and what led to its discovery?

Answer: The new alligator species was named Alligator munensis after the adjacent Mun River in Thailand, where its fossil was unearthed. Its distinctive skull characteristics sparked researchers’ curiosity, leading to further investigation.

Question 4: What are the possible timeframes for the existence of Alligator munensis?

Answer: Fossils of similar species found in the region suggest that the short-snouted alligator, Alligator munensis, may have lived anywhere between 200,000 and a few thousand years ago.

Question 5: How does the discovery of Alligator munensis contribute to our understanding of alligator evolution?

Answer: Alligator munensis, with its unique features, provides valuable insights into the evolutionary history of alligators and may offer clues about their ancient ancestors.