Paleontologists have not yet been able to determine the kinship between the ornithopod family and the dinosaurs, because the limbs of the two have some common features, but other aspects are similar to crocodiles, so the ornithopod family and crocodiles are classified together with the mosaic ankle dominantosaurs. They were distributed in Scotland and South America in the late Triassic period.
Name: Pike Crocodile (Early Archosaurus)
Age: Early Triassic
Location: Africa (South Africa)
Size: Length 60 cm
The Pike crocodile was an early member of the ornithopod family, and its strong hind legs and long tail evolved from its archosaur ancestors gave the ornithopod family a new standing position. The Parker crocodile is small and slender, with bone plates covering the center of its back and tail, and its hind limbs are about a third longer than its forelimbs.
Although standing on all fours most of the time, this bird crocodile is also able to lift its forelimbs to escape danger. Its long tail accounts for about half the total length of the body, and its tail can be extended backwards from the hips to maintain body balance when running. Pike crocodile bipedal upright later became the norm for carnivorous dinosaurs that first appeared at the end of the Triassic period.
The Pike crocodile's skull is larger, but its weight is reduced by several wide temporal holes between the bones. Its teeth are very much in line with carnivorous habits — long, pointed, slightly curved backwards, with serrated edges.
Pike Crocodile Fossil