A team of researchers from the Catalan Institute of Paleontology Miguel Crusafont and the University of Barcelona (Spain) discovered in 2003 (near Orcau, Lérida) a new species of ancient crocodile . Now, the detailed study and description of its fossils have just been published in the journal PeerJ.
The crocodile in question has been baptized as Allodaposuchus hulki in homage to the Marvel character, Hulk, since the complexion of this animal was terrifying: a highly developed musculature with enormous strength in its short limbs . This “Hulk” crocodile lived during the Cretaceous period with the last dinosaurs of the Pyrenees 69 million years ago and, according to research, “its muscle mass is much higher even compared to other species of the genus Allodaposuchus”, explains Alejandro Blanco, co-author of the study; which indicates that his great strength allowed him to walk with his body off the ground, in a semi-upright posture.
Paleontologists have studied the remains of Allodaposuchus hulki, composed of various parts of the skull, spinal column, shoulder girdle, and forelimbs of the same specimen. Among the conclusions, the presence of very wide otic openings (ears) stands out, which, thanks to X-ray images using computed tomography, have been able to reveal that this animal probably had an acute sense of hearing .
The genus to which this crocodile belongs is one of the most primitive groups of crocodilians in the world and had its origin in the Iberian Peninsula. It was an animal with terrestrial habits and with enough capacity to undertake long trips through the river environments that dominated the landscape of this area at that time.
