Postosuchus fossil map
Where fossils of Postosuchus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 215 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 215 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 | 237–201.4 million years ago (Carnian to Rhaetian) |
| Periods | Triassic |
| Family | Rauisuchidae |
| Named by | Chatterjee 1985 |
| Fossil records | 31 occurrences at 27 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Chinle, Tecovas, Cooper Canyon, Colorado City, txn:38249, Garita Creek |
About Postosuchus
Postosuchus (meaning "crocodile from Post") is an extinct genus of rauisuchid that lived in what is now North America during the Late Triassic. The genus comprises two species, P. kirkpatricki and P. alisonae, and belongs to the clade Pseudosuchia, the archosaur lineage that includes modern crocodilians. The name refers to Post Quarry in Texas, where numerous fossils of the type species, P. Kirkpatrick, were discovered. Pseudosuchia is one of the two major archosaur lineages, the other being Avemetatarsalia, which includes birds and their extinct relatives.
Postosuchus was one of the apex predators of its region during the Triassic, exceeding contemporary small predatory dinosaurs such as Coelophysis in size. It likely preyed on large herbivores including dicynodonts, as well as small early dinosaurs. It had a robust skeleton, a deep skull and a long tail and reached an estimated length of 5–6 m (16–20 ft) or more. The disproportionate shortness of its forelimbs relative to its hind limbs and vertebral measurements suggest that Postosuchus may have been primarily bipedal.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Postosuchus (revision 1380670467), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in.
