THE FEEDING HABITS OF THE STRANGE CROCODYLIAN MOURASUCHUS (ALLIGATOROIDEA, CAIMANINAE): A REVIEW, NEW HYPOTHESES AND PERSPECTIVES

Autor(es)

Cidade, Giovanne M. ^[1] ; Riff, Douglas ^[2] ; Hsiou, Annie Schmaltz ^[3]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, FFCLRP, Dept Biol, Programa Posgrad Biol Comparada, Ave Bandeirantes, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Uberlandia, Inst Biol, Rua Ceara S-N, BR-38400902 Uberlandia, MG - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, FFCLRP, Dept Biol, Ave Bandeirantes 3900, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo de Revisão
• Fonte: Revista Brasileira de Paleontologia; v. 22, n. 2, p. 106-119, MAY-AUG 2019.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

The caimanine crocodylian Mourasuchus from the Miocene of South America is one of the most peculiar crocodylomorphs of all time. It exhibits an unusual long, wide and dorsoventrally flattened rostrum, long, slender mandibles, and relatively short cervical vertebrae. These features have led previous authors to propose that the feeding habits of Mourasuchus were very different from those of most crocodylomorphs. In order to significantly improve the knowledge on the feeding habits of Mourasuchus, we performed a comprehensive review on this issue in order to offer the most complete assessment on the question to date, and to propose new hypotheses coherent with our current knowledge on Mourasuchus and on the feeding habits of crocodylomorphs. As a result, this study proposes that Mourasuchus was likely incapable of capturing and consuming large preys and specialized in eating small ones, such as mollusks, crustaceans and small fishes. The rostrum of Mourasuchus possibly evolved to cover the largest possible area, in order to be more efficient in the capture of large amounts of small preys. Whether Mourasuchus was capable to ``select{''} the food from other material ingested with it is not yet known. In consequence, we suggest ``gulp-feeding{''} to describe the proposed feeding habits of these animals. Mourasuchus was probably an inhabitant of quiet, shallow water bodies, where there were a broad range of habitats in which the preferred preys of this taxon dwelled. It is also proposed that the habit of Mourasuchus evolved from the durophagous habit proposed for many fossil caimanines. This hypothesis, however, has to be addressed by future studies. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 13/04516-1 - Revisão Sistemática do gênero Mourasuchus (Alligatoroidea, Caimaninae), um dos crocodilos mais peculiares do mundo
• Beneficiário: Giovanne Mendes Cidade
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado
• Processo FAPESP: 11/14080-0 - Os Squamata (Reptilia, Lepidosauria) do Cretáceo e Terciário (Paleogeno/Neogeno) das bacias Bauru, Aiuruoca e Acre: sistemática, evolução e paleoambientes
• Beneficiário: Annie Schmaltz Hsiou
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Jovens Pesquisadores