archosaur
laelaps | November 4, 2007
Today's photo comes from the National Zoo in Washington D.C., the only place where I have seen the Gavial (Gavialis gangeticus) in captivity. This crocodylian is one of the most endangered in the world, and the National Zoo has a male and female pair (and I can only assume that the zoo staff hopes the two will breed). The above photograph is the female, males of the species having a bulbous growth or "ghara" on the tip of their snout. Outside of being a signal as to which sex an adult belongs, the ghara is also used in vocalizations the male makes and blowing bubbles during mating displays,…
laelaps | October 19, 2007The intimidating skull of Prestosuchus, taken at the AMNH.I've been trying for quite some time now to get some information about a predatory member of the Order Rauisuchia, Prestosuchus chiniquensis so that I could write something substantial about it, but most of the references I've been able to get a hold of only mention it in reference to similar animals (i.e. Postosuchus, Saurosuchus, etc.). If anyone has any papers or technical literature they could send me on this animal (my e-mail can be found via the "contact" tab on this blog), I would be more grateful.