What Did the Largest Alligator Ever Eat to Feed its Massive 11,000 Pound Body?

Deinosuchus, a large 11,000-pound prehistoric alligatoroid crocodilian, is often referred to as the largest alligator ever. Its fossils were first discovered in North Carolina in the 19^th century, but the species wasn’t named until the 20^th century.

Its name, “Deinosuchus,” means “terrible crocodile,” which is an apt description considering that it was humongous and behaved very similarly to modern-day crocodiles, known for their mean streaks.

Modern-day crocs and gators are known for their large diets and ambush-hunting tactics, but just what did Deinosuchus eat, and how did it hunt its prey? Let’s find out.

How Did Deinosuchus Hunt?

Like modern-day crocodiles, Deinosuchus is believed to have been an ambush predator. Ambush predators lie hidden in wait for their prey to get close enough before they attack. With the element of surprise on their side, they can overpower their prey.

Scientists believe that Deinosuchus hunted its prey in a similar fashion. Like modern crocs, their eyes were placed at the top of their heads, making it easy to see their prey even if the rest of their body was submerged.

Deinosuchus also had a secondary bony palate, allowing it to breathe through its nostrils even while submerged. This would have allowed it to stay out of sight and undetected for a long while. 

How Strong Was Deinosuchus?

Some of the strongest parts of crocodiles are their teeth, jaws, and tails. Modern-day crocodiles use their strong jaws and terrifying teeth to crush their prey, and Deinosuchus was no different.

It had a long snout that housed its thick, strong teeth adapted to crush rather than pierce. Modern saltwater crocodiles have the strongest bite of any existing creature, which is approximately 3,700 PSI. However, studies show that Deinosuchus had a bite force as high as 23,100 PSI.

It is believed to have had teeth that measured six to eight inches long. For reference, no human’s tooth is even as long as half an inch. Paleontologists even state that the fourth tooth on its lower jaw would have been visible with its mouth closed, which is extremely terrifying to imagine.

What Did Deinosuchus Eat?

According to research scientists, Deinosuchus was the apex predator of its environment. It fed on dinosaurs, sea turtles, large fish, and terrestrial and aquatic animals that were large enough to be consumed. Like modern-day crocodiles, Deinosuchus performed the death roll on its prey. It grabbed them and rolled them into the water to drown them.

One unproven but possible belief many hold about Deinosuchus is that it was a cannibal. This is because crocodiles are known to sometimes prey on smaller crocodiles, especially when there is food scarcity.

4 Amazing Facts About Deinosuchus You Didn’t Know

Here are four incredible facts about the Deinosuchus:

1. It’s Pronounced Di-no-su-cus

We know how confusing it could be to figure out how to pronounce this mighty croc’s name, especially considering its somewhat complicated spelling. Luckily, it is pronounced “di-no-su-cus,” which is a lot less complicated than it looks.

The species was named by Rev William Jacob Holland, a man of many talents. Holland was an ordained Presbyterian minister, a zoologist, a paleontologist, and the eighth Chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh.

Holland was one of many experts to study the Deinosuchus fossils. After the first fossils were found in 1853, more fossils were discovered in Montana by John Bell Hatcher and T.W. Stanton. Hatcher immediately began to study the fossils, but when he discovered that they belonged to a large crocodilian species and not a dinosaur, he lost interest in the project.

Holland, however, continued the project. He studied the fossils and assigned them to a new species and genus, Deinosuchus.

2. Deinosuchus Was Almost 40-Feet Long

Scientists approximate that Deinosuchus could have grown to a maximum of 39 feet in length. They made these approximations based on the mandible of a Deinosuchus riograndensis, which indicated that that particular specimen had been as long as 35 feet. Researchers also approximate that Deinosuchus could have weighed as much as 18,000 pounds.

It’s worth noting that all four species under the Deinosuchus genus had varying lengths and sizes. The fossils of the Deinosuchus riograndensis were marginally larger than those of the Deinosuchus rugosus, Deinosuchus schwimmeri, and the Deinosuchus hatcheri, which was the original species identified by William Holland. However, it is believed that these species had similar diets.

3. Deinosuchus Was Armored

As if their teeth and jaws weren’t terrible enough, paleontologists state that Deinosuchus had osteoderms. Osteoderms are similar to bony plates and performed several functions for the Deinosuchus. For one, these bony plates acted as armor and made their tails even more deadly.

Since a modern-day croc’s tail is powerful enough to break a human’s leg with a single slash, we can only imagine how Deinosuchus used its whip-like tail in battles. Paleontologists also state that its osteoderms and connective tissues served as load-bearers and helped the massive animal leap out of water, despite its size.

4. Deinosuchus Lived in At Least 10 US States

Since the first Deinosuchus fossil was discovered, more fossils have been discovered, and some are much closer than you might expect. Alabama, Georgia, Montana, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Texas have reported discoveries of Deinosuchus fossils.

This is because the mighty Deinosuchus actually lived in Northern America about 82 to 73 million years ago. The genus is believed to have had a lifespan of 50 years, less than Nile and saltwater crocodiles. One fun fact about crocodiles is that the oldest saltwater crocodile ever lived for 140 years.

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