Australia: The Land Where Time Began

A biography of the Australian continent 

Mekosuchines are distinguished by a large difference between the alveoli of their largest and smallest teeth, development of a wedge of the supraoccipital bone on the skull roof, and reduction or loss of the anterior process of the palatines.

Kambara spp. were broad-snouted Mekosuchines which have been found at the Murgon fossil site. They were generalist feeders, as with other crocodiles they are believed to have fed on mammals, fish, turtles, etc. Eggs of at least one, possibly both species, found at Murgon indicate that in the Eocene this fossil site was a breeding area for these reptiles. Species of Kambara had large pits between the eyes and the supertemporal fenestrae, and deep depressions in the skull in front of the nostrils. K. implexidens had large eyes and an unusual form of interlocking teeth, differing from K. murgonensis in the form of the occlusion of their dentition, but were otherwise similar to K. murgonensis. The teeth of K. implexidens were interlocking, while those of K. murgonensis were not. They grew to about 1.5 m.

It is believed there may have been a 3rd species of Karamba at the Rundle Site in eastern Queensland.

A nearly complete skull of K. implexidens has been found, missing the rear part of the quadrate bone and part of the palate, also a partial skull and a dentary, a second lower jaw and various cranial and dentary fragments. K. murgonensis and K. implexidens may have lived at different times. All the known fossils appear to have come from adult animals.

Links

Mekosuchinae

Sources & Further reading