Melanosuchus fossil map
Where fossils of Melanosuchus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 5 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 5 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Crocodile relatives |
|---|---|
| Lived | 11.63–5.333 million years ago (Tortonian to Messinian) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Alligatoridae |
| Named by | Gray 1862 |
| Fossil records | 4 occurrences at 4 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Venezuela, Brazil |
| Rock formations | Urumaco, Solimões |
About Melanosuchus
Melanosuchus, from Ancient Greek μέλας (mélas), meaning "black", and σούχος (soúkhos), meaning "crocodile", is a genus of caiman. The genus is most commonly referred to as the "Black Caimans". The black caiman of South America is the sole extant (living) species, and is the largest living member of the subfamily Caimaninae, as well as the entire alligator family Alligatoridae.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Melanosuchus (revision 1363422148), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q2080580.
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