Original Gavialosuchus/Thecachampsa skull in Mulberry, Florida

[Crocophile]

Greetings! I just joined today. Here's a pic of the original specimen of the popular Gavialosuchus americanus skull. This was extracted from a phosphate mine in Polk County, Florida near the Mulberry Phosphate Museum where this image was captured in May of 2019. This impressive item has been replicated commercially and is seen in museums around the world.

 

As you may know, this genus was revised by several noted paleontologists to Thecachampsa, including both G. americanus and carolinensis (while the European Gavialosuchus relatives remain in the genus). The consensus seems to be holding. The status of T. antiqua still seems unsettled.

 

This specimen, to the best of my knowledge, was discovered by well-known Florida digger Barbara Fite of the Tampa Bay Fossil Club, and is on loan to the museum.

 

Note

Synonyms: Tomistoma americana, T. sericodon, T. floridana, G. floridana

Edited May 11, 2020 by Crocophile

[Crocophile]

Here is another authentic fossil specimen of the same species. This was photographed 5 January 2020 at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville.

 

The other image is of Tomistoma schlegelii, Thecachampsa's and Gavialosuchus' closest extant relative, which is native to SE Asia. This species was endangered, but in the last several yeas has been upgraded due to very effective efforts to save it. This croc's  head is strikingly similar to its extinct cousin and truly piques one's imagination.

Edited May 11, 2020 by Crocophile
Clarity in description of images in their order.

[FossilDAWG]

Welcome to the Forum!  Thanks for the informative posts!

 

Don

[The Amateur Paleontologist]

Tomistomines and thoracosaurines are my favourite crocodylians, so thanks a lot for this informative post

Edited May 11, 2020 by The Amateur Paleontologist

[Crocophile]

I was just reading a book that is new to me, Skeletal anatomy of Alligator and Comparison with Thecachampsa, by George F. Klein (a link to the open source PDF is provided in the Literature thread). I'd like to add these notes below for the record for those interested in learning more about the referenced skull in the museum and about the genus. I hope it proves informative, as it was to me.

 

I was told by a man who is employed by the local phosphate company who claimed he was the director of the museum that the skull is the original. Here is a paragraph from page 9 regarding the skull's origin, which differs from the information I gathered on it:

 

"The skull of Alligator differs from Thecachampsa in that the latter has a narrower snout and, when complete, is typically much larger. Figures 5.4 and 5.5 are photographs of a cast of a very large Thecachampsa skull found in a central Florida Phosphate Mine by Rick Carter in 1990 that was excavated and prepared by Frank Garcia. The skull length measures 45 3/4” (116.2 cm) from the tip of the premaxilla to the rear of the quadrate."

[jpc]

Thanks for the book link.  It looks like a great alligator/croc anatomy guide.  I just bought a copy.  

[Crocophile]

Great!

 

The images are really helpful in identifying bone and teeth. I recall seeing one or more posts in the 'Show Us Your Gator, Croc & Turtle Finds' thread that relate to this.