During the Triassic period, the Earth looked completely different. The planet's landmass has formed the supercontinent Pangea, surrounded by one vast ocean and home to strange creatures vying for dominance. Among them was one of the earliest relatives of modern crocodiles, roaming the Earth when the first dinosaurs appeared.
One of the earliest known relatives of the modern crocodile, discovered in Brazil. Tynrakuazuh bellatorwhich was hunted about 240 million years ago, making it the oldest known member of the crocodile genus. His discovery, published in Journal of Systematic Paleontologyprovides a rare glimpse into the ecosystems of a time when South America and Africa were still connected and life was experimenting with creating animals for long-term success.
Read more: Crocodiles, masters of survival and evolution, now have two new species
Discovering a crocodile warrior ideal for hunting
In May 2025, researchers excavating near Don Francisco in Brazil discovered a partial skeleton, including a lower jaw, spinal column and pelvic girdle. Thanks to this, they identified a new carnivorous reptile, Tynrakuazuh bellator“sharp-toothed crocodile warrior”, named with words from Guarani (tain, rakua), Greek (surus) and Latin (bellator), reflecting its sharp teeth and fierce hunting abilities.
Based on fossil evidenceThe animal was about eight feet long, weighed about 130 pounds, and likely walked on all fours. Its back was covered with bony plates called osteoderms, which are similar to the natural armor of modern crocodiles. With a long flexible neck and streamlined body, it was well suited for hunting a variety of prey in Triassic landscape.
Fossils reveal ferocious predator that isn't a dinosaur
Being a member of Pseudosuria (the group that includes the ancestors of modern crocodiles and alligators), T. Bellator was one of the main predators of the Triassic era.
“This animal was an active predator,” lead study author Rodrigo Tempe Müller of the Federal University of Santa Maria said in his paper. press statement“but, despite his size, he was far from the largest hunter of his time, with the same ecosystem inhabited by giants up to seven meters long.”
Müller emphasized the diversity of pseudosuchians because they could fight “large prey, […] catch fast animals.” However, despite this diversity, “they remain poorly understood because they are fossils of some [of] their lineages are extremely rare in the fossil record.”
Even though they are similar small dinosaursMüller explained that his anatomy tells a different story. “One of the most obvious ways to differentiate it from dinosaurs is in the structure of the pelvis, where the characteristics of the hip and femur joints are very different.”
This discovery also highlights the complexity of early ecosystems. T. Bellator refers to the period when different pseudosuchian species occupied specific niches, as described in the press release.
“His discovery helps illuminate a key moment in the history of life, the period that preceded the emergence of dinosaurs,” Muller said.
Connecting the ecosystems of South America and Africa
The new species also links prehistoric South America with Africa. T. Bellator closely related to Mandasuchus tanyauhenpredator discovered in Tanzania, supporting the idea that the two continents shared a common evolutionary history during the Triassic period.
“This connection […] This can be understood in light of the paleogeography of the Triassic period,” Müller said. “The continents were united, allowing organisms to spread freely across regions now separated by oceans. As a result, the faunas of Brazil and Africa shared several elements, reflecting an intertwined evolutionary and ecological history.”
T. Bellator probably lived on the edge of a vast, arid desert similar to the landscape where early dinosaurs emerged. His discovery shows that reptiles created strong communities long before dinosaurs became dominant.
From ancient deserts to modern rivers, crocodiles have survived. Their newly discovered ancestor reminds us that the history of life is long and constant, stretching back 240 million years of evolution, survival and adaptation.
Read more: How crocodiles survived more than 230 million years and two mass extinctions
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