Paracyclotosaurus - Giant Temnospondyl Amphibian

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Paracyclotosaurus was a giant temnospondyl amphibian with a flat body, similar in look to today’s salamander --but much, much larger, at up to 7.5 feet (2.3 m) long. Although it could live on dry land, Paracyclotosaurus probably spent most of its time in water. A fish-eater, it might have played a waiting game, lying just below the surface of the water and quickly swallowing anything that came near it.

The type species P. davidi is only known from one complete specimen recovered from Australia, discovered by quarry miners in a brick pit in St. Peters in Sydney, New South Wales. It was named after Sir Edgeworth David, the man who arranged for the British Museum (Natural History) to acquire the specimen.

They had flattened bodies and elongated heads, almost 2 feet (60 cm) long, that vaguely resembled those of modern crocodiles.

Their short tails could have had a use in swimming, though most probably not adequate for any rapid movements.

They had feeble, or weak dentition.

The skeleton of Paracyclotosaurus davidi received a single heavy blow, as it broke three horizontal sheets of bone --the skull roof, palate, and interclavicle --by a massive cylindrical body, such as a tree trunk from the bank, falling across the animal and washing it to the bottom of the lake.

Although they could live on dry land, Paracyclotosaurus spent most of its time in water. On land it could walk to some extent, making a track little less than a yard wide and a stride of around 8 inches (20 cm).

It is very likely that it caught its food as the living Giant Salamander is said to do; by waiting until the prey came near, then rapidly opening its huge mouth and swallowing it.

The most probable food would be small fishes, up to 6 inches (15 cm) long, which swam in shoals. Fishes like Promecosomina, a holostean, or part of a group of bony fish including gars and bowfins, were abundantly found buried with Paracyclotosaurus.

When an unsuspecting fish came within reach of its jaws, Paracyclotosaurus lifted its massive head, its mouth opened wide and the fish was sucked inside. Modern predators like crocodiles use this technique to great effect to catch some of their prey.

It is unclear how it breathed, but it has been suggested to have breathed similar to the giant salamander genus Andrias, by moving the floor of the mouth by muscles attached to the hyoid and branchial arches. Because the animal was probably as slow moving as a Giant Salamander, and the rate of its oxygen consumption very low, the buccal epithelium may have provided an efficient point of introduction of oxygen into the body.

Paracyclotosaurus means “Near Wheeled Lizard”.

It was named by Watson in 1958.

Species include P. davidi, P. crookshanki, and P. morganorum.

It was around 7 feet 5 inches (2.3 m) long.

Fossils have been found in Australia, India, and South Africa.

It lived in the Middle Triassic, 235 million years ago.

Fossil representation includes a specimen that was probably killed by a tree crushing the back of its head.

And with that, thank you for watching. This is Enchiridion, see you next time.

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Table of Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:03 - Description
0:27 - Discovery
0:47 - Features
1:03 - Description
1:22 - Lifestyle and Diet
2:42 - Naming
2:44 - Named By
2:48 - Species
2:53 - Size
2:56 - Known Locations
3:00 - Time Period
3:05 - Fossil Representation
3:11 - Outro

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Image and Video Sources:
Icons from Flat Icon

Audio Source:
Walking with Dinosaurs OST, 11 - Jurassic Forest
[No Copyright Music] Waves - Chill Lofi Guitar

Sources:
Malam, J., & Parker, S. (2009). Encyclopedia of dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures. Bath, UK: Parragon Pub.
Paracyclotosaurus. (2020, November 09). Retrieved December 23, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paracyc...
Paracyclotosaurus. (n.d.). Retrieved December 23, 2020, from https://fossil.fandom.com/wiki/Paracy...