Purussaurus brasiliensis

Purussaurus brasiliensis was a gigantic prehistoric crocodile that lived during the Miocene Period, approximately 8 to 5 million years ago, in what is now South America. Belonging to the family Alligatoridae , this reptile dominated the aquatic ecosystems of the Amazon region, where it shared its habitat with a diverse megafauna, including giant tortoises, large fish, and mammals such as South American ungulates and ground sloths. It is considered one of the largest crocodilians in history, with estimates of its size reaching between 10 and 12.5 meters in length and a weight of up to 8 tons , making it a superpredator of its ecosystem.

The skeleton of Purussaurus brasiliensis reveals impressive adaptations for its enormous size and aquatic lifestyle. Its skull was massive , reaching 1.45 metres in length , with exceptionally robust jaws housing large conical teeth designed to exert enormous biting pressure. Biomechanical studies suggest its bite may have been the strongest recorded among vertebrates, surpassing even that of Tyrannosaurus rex and modern crocodiles, allowing it to crush bones and capture large prey with ease.

The structure of its lower jaw indicates that Purussaurus had considerable control over the opening and closing of its mouth, allowing it to efficiently handle prey in the water. Its nostrils, located on the top of the skull, facilitated breathing while submerged, a trait shared with modern alligators and crocodiles.

The trunk and ribcage were broad and massive, helping to support the weight of its colossal body. Its limbs were relatively short compared to its size, indicating that it relied primarily on its powerful, muscular tail for propulsion in the water, much like modern crocodilians. The shape of its vertebrae and the arrangement of its muscles suggest that it was an efficient swimmer, able to ambush prey with quick, deadly movements from shallow water.

One of the most fascinating aspects of its skeleton is its axial structure , which shows reinforced vertebrae to support the weight and force of its bite. Its ribs were also thick and robust, indicating that its body was adapted to withstand the pressure generated when hunting large prey. Although its legs were functional on dry land, its enormous size suggests that its terrestrial mobility was limited, so it probably spent most of its time in the water, stalking animals that came to drink.

From an ecological point of view, Purussaurus brasiliensis played a similar role to modern crocodiles, but on a much larger scale. It is believed to have preyed on large mammals such as toxodonts, giant sloths and even other reptiles, making it the main predator in its environment. Its fossils have been found in Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and Peru, indicating that it had a wide distribution in the Amazonian river system of the Miocene.

Its extinction may have been linked to environmental changes, such as the transition of the Amazon from a system of lakes and swamps to the dense forest of today, which would have reduced its access to large prey and restricted its habitat. In addition, competition with other predators and the emergence of new, more fragmented ecosystems may have contributed to its disappearance.

Approximate measurements of the Purussaurus:

• Complete 1:60 scale
• Length 188 mm
• Height 40 mm
• Width 61 mm
• Snout-tail length 205 mm

• Complete 1:35 scale
• Length 320 mm
• Height 70 mm
• Width 105 mm
• Snout-tail length 350 mm