The Curious case of the Miocene Crocs

[Sailor.X]

After thinking on this for some time I noticed a curious thing. For some reason during the Miocene we have several Giant Crocodiles species.

Purussaurus

www.prehistoric-wildlife.com

Rhamphosuchus

www.prehistoric-wildlife.com

Mourasuchus

www.prehistoric-wildlife.com

Gryposuchus

www.prehistoric-wildlife.com

The question is why did they supersize. What is the common denominator. Is their some prey species of larger size that all of these crocs are hunting. Or did they supersize because of some other giant competition? What are your thoughts on the matter?

 

[Lanmandragon]

Wasn't stuff bigger in the past due to more o2? I swear I've read that somewhere.

 

[Sailor.X]

Wasn't stuff bigger in the past due to more o2? I swear I've read that somewhere.

Not in the Miocene. It was more close to our oxygen levels. We are talking only 23 to 5.333 Million years ago not 300 million to 65 million years ago.

 

[Hlaalu Agent]

Not in the Miocene. It was more close to our oxygen levels. We are talking only 23 to 5.333 Million years ago not 300 million to 65 million years ago.

I believe that was when oxygen was so plentiful that lightning storms would cause explosions.

 

[Sailor.X]

I believe that was when oxygen was so plentiful that lightning storms would cause explosions.

Note the 300 million years ago date. Anyway on topic I think they might have been competing with another yet to be discovered Giant Predator. Either a really big fish or a really big Lizard.

 

[LordSunhawk]

Actually the Miocene is marked by a rather large number of 'giant' species. In the oceans you had Megalodon, Gigantopithecus Blacki (the largest ape ever), Giant Otters, a Giant Ground Sloth, and the Spike-Toothed Salmon.

So giant crocodilians in that era would have had plenty of both competition and food sources.