Melissa Raé Shofner - Crocodiles Lived with the Dinosaurs!

Please visit our website, www.garethstevens.com. For a free color catalog of all our high-quality books, call toll free 1-800-542-2595 or fax 1-877-542-2596.Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Shofner, Melissa Ra. Title: Crocodiles lived with the dinosaurs! / Melissa Ra Shofner. Description: New York : Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2017. | Series: Living with the dinosaurs | Includes index. Identifiers: ISBN 9781482456455 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781482456479 (library bound) | ISBN 9781482456462 (6 pack) Subjects: LCSH: Crocodiles--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC QL666.C925 S56 2017 | DDC 597.982--dc23 First Edition Published in 2017 by Gareth Stevens Publishing 111 East 14th Street, Suite 349 New York, NY 10003 Copyright 2017 Gareth Stevens Publishing Designer: Laura Bowen Editor: Therese Shea Photo credits: Cover, p.. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer. Printed in the United States of America CPSIA compliance information: Batch #CW17GS: For further information contact Gareth Stevens, New York, New York at 1-800-542-2595. CONTENTS Words in the glossary appear in bold type the first time they are used in the text. LIVING WITH DINOSAURS Crocodiles have been around for a very long time.

They first appeared on Earth about 200 million years ago. This means they lived with the dinosaurs! Around 65 million years ago, however, dinosaurs became extinct, or died out. Crocodiles somehow survived and are still around today. Why didnt crocodiles go extinct? How closely over millions of years. We can guess what prehistoric crocodiles were like by learning about modern crocodiles. THE PREHISTORIC WORLD The prehistoric crocodile Deinosuchus (dy-noh-SOO-kuhs) lived between 83 million and 72 million years ago.

It had sharp teeth that could smash bone. CROCODILES AND DINOSAURS LIVED TOGETHER MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO. THE NAME DEINOSUCHUS COMES FROM GREEK WORDS MEANING TERRIBLE CROCODILE. ANCIENT RELATIVES Crocodiles are reptiles. Reptiles are are more closely related to birds than they are to other reptiles! Crocodiles and dinosaurs may look alike, but they arent directly related. Crocodiles came from animals that lived before dinosaurs.

Many scientists believe that modern-day birds are directly related to dinosaurs, though. So, dinosaurs and crocodiles are like cousins! ARCHOSAURS (AHR-KUH-SAWRZ) WERE A GROUP OF ANIMALS THAT APPEARED AROUND 250 MILLION YEARS AGO. THE GROUP BRANCHED OUT OVER TIME TO INCLUDE DINOSAURS, BIRDS, AND CROCODILES. REALLY BIG REPTILES Crocodiles have a long tail, sharp teeth, and short legs. Their snout, or nose, is long, and their show that prehistoric crocodiles shared many of these features. Their size was hugely diff erent than modern crocs, though! Some species, or kinds, of modern crocodiles can grow to be 20 feet (6.1 m) long and weigh up to 2,200 pounds (998 kg).

These are very large animals, but prehistoric crocodiles were even bigger. Scientists think that some were 40 feet (12.2 m) long! THE PREHISTORIC WORLD Sarcosuchus (sahr-koh-SOO-kuhs) was one of the largest prehistoric crocodiles. Based on fossils, scientists think that Sarcosuchus could have been 39 feet (12 m) long and weighed more than 8 tons (7.3 mt)

CLOSE TO HOME Crocodiles live near lakes, rivers, and to get rid of extra salt in their body. Since crocodiles are cold-blooded, they live in warmer parts of North America, South America, Australia, and Asia. Theyre also found in Africa.

Fossils of prehistoric crocodiles have been uncovered in many of the places where crocodiles live today. THE PREHISTORIC WORLD Rhamphosuchus (ram-foh-SOO-kuhs) was Rhamphosuchus a prehistoric crocodile that lived during the Miocene period (about 23 million to 5 million years ago). It had a long, powerful tail so it could swim quickly and a narrow snout to catch fish easily.

WHOS HUNGRY? Crocodiles are carnivores, or animals that eat only meat. Adult crocodiles eat mostly fish, but they sometimes eat birds and larger animals.

Crocodiles often surprise land animals drinking at the waters edge. They drag the animals into the water and drown them. Young crocodiles eat smaller prey, such as frogs, snails, and bugs. Crocodiles cant chew, but their jaws can easily crush prey. They eat small animals whole. They tear apart larger animals.

Crocodiles swallow stones to help break down large pieces of food in their stomach! THE PREHISTORIC WORLD Scientists think most prehistoric crocodiles ate fish. Mourasuchus (moh-rah-SOO-kuhs) had a weak jaw and probably ate tiny prey. However, Sarcosuchus may have attacked bigger animals such as the dinosaur Spinosaurus. A HUNGRY CROCODILE MAY ATTACK A LARGE LAND ANIMAL, SUCH AS A WILDEBEEST, WHILE ITS DRINKING AT OR WALKING IN A BODY OF WATER. LONG LIVES Baby crocodiles are about 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) long when they first break out of their egg. They grow about 1 foot (30 cm) a year for the first 3 or 4 years.

Their growth then slows, but they continue to grow for their entire life. Scientists believe that Sarcosuchus kept growing for its entire life, too. In zoos, crocodiles have lived for more than 70 years. Scientists think wild crocodiles probably live just as long. THE PREHISTORIC WORLD Scientists found the tooth of a small prehistoric crocodile in a fossil of a baby plant-eating dinosaur called a Hypsilophodon (hihp-suh-LAHF-uh-dahn). They think some prehistoric baby crocodiles may have eaten baby dinosaurs! A MOTHER CROCODILE BUILDS A NEST TO LAY HER EGGS IN.

THE OF THE NEST DECIDES IF THE BABY CROCODILES WILL BE MALE OR FEMALE. BUILT TO SURVIVE Scientists think early crocodiles did such a good job that not much has needed to change over time. This might be why crocodiles survived when the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago. Crocodiles seem to heal easily after they get hurt. They can live for many years after losing a leg or part of their jaw in a fight. Crocodiles also have the most advanced brain of all reptiles.

Theyre very smart and quickly learn to avoid danger.