Paleontologists have found a rare 240 million-year-old ancestor of crocodiles

In southern Brazil, paleontologists have discovered a new species of ancient predator that predated modern crocodiles. Researchers from the Federal University of Santa Maria said that the discovery reveals the complex connections between the fauna of South America and Africa in the Triassic era — long before dinosaurs appeared on Earth. This was reported on November 12 in the journal Science Daily.

We are talking about the Tainrakuasuchus bellator species, an armored reptile about 2.4 m long and weighing about 60 kg. Its long neck and light body allowed it to attack prey with high speed and accuracy. The skull with narrow jaws and curved teeth helped to hold the victim. According to the authors of the study, the animal occupied an important place in the Triassic food chain.

The name Tainrakuasuchus bellator combines the Guaranian words tain ("tooth"), rakua ("sharp") and the Greek suchus ("crocodile"). The epithet bellator ("warrior") was chosen in honor of the inhabitants of Rio Grande do Sul, a symbol of resilience and courage in a region recently affected by floods.

The main author of the work, Rodrigo Muller, explained that Tainrakuasuchus bellator was an active predator, but not the largest of its time — reptiles up to 7 m long lived in the same places. The scientist noted that this species looked like a dinosaur, however, the structure of the pelvis and joints of the hindlimbs clearly indicates belonging to the pseudosuchian group — the ancient ancestors of modern crocodiles.

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The skeletal fragments — part of the lower jaw, vertebrae and a pelvic bone — were found in May 2025 in the municipality of Don Francisco in Brazil. The analysis showed that the reptile was protected by bone plates, or osteoderms, like modern crocodiles. Although the limbs were not preserved, the researchers believe that the animal moved on four legs.

According to Muller, the find is of exceptional importance because fossils of this type are extremely rare. This confirms the existence of common ancestors of the fauna of South America and Africa in the Triassic, when the continents still made up the supercontinent Pangaea. The researchers also emphasized that Tainrakuasuchus bellator lived in arid areas, on the border of ancient deserts, where the first dinosaurs later appeared.

The discovery, according to scientists, helps to restore the picture of the world on the eve of the age of dinosaurs and shows how diverse and interconnected life on Earth was 240 million years ago.

On November 6, Popular Science magazine reported the discovery of a rare Roman funerary monument in the Eichstatt area in southern Germany. It is a round stone structure with a diameter of about 12 m, which is the base of a tumulus, a burial mound. According to the publication, the building dates back to the 1st century AD.

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