Crocodilians employ unique feeding behaviors as compared to other predators in modern ecosystems. The use of inertial and rotational forces, coupled with immense jaw strength, allow crocodilians to consume large fauna with relative ease. Given the unique forces applied to crocodile modified carcasses, we would expect to find diagnostic traces of such feeding behavior on the skeletal remains of their prey that were not ingested. The goal of this research is to establish criteria for identifying crocodile feeding traces in the fossil record. Guided by a taphonomic and ichnologic framework, I interpret the feeding traces recorded on bones modified by Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in controlled feeding experiments. Building upon previous bone surface modification descriptions, I define crocodile feeding traces as ichnotaxa. I describe a new ichnogenus, Sicarichnus, which corresponds to a penetrative force that slips and incises the surrounding bone. I describe a new ichnospecies, Brutalichnus percussus, corresponding to marginal bone cracking. Using these ichnotaxa, I then describe patterns of bone surface modification that appear to be unique to Crocodylia and which reflect various observed feeding behaviors. I observe pairs of mechanically equivalent traces at distances equivalent to crocodile tooth spacing. Elongate, multi-directional traces correspond to the unique, rotational carcass disarticulation techniques used by crocodiles. Pairs of nearly identical traces, parallel and in close proximity to each other, are correlated to non-masticatory feeding. With compounding paleontological evidence, these traces could be a robust indicator of crocodile ecology in the fossil record. Fossils recovered from wetland depositional environments which demonstrate these traces have a high likelihood of having been lost or abandoned by crocodiles during feeding.

Modern crocodylians--crocodiles, alligators, caiman (Central and South America), and gharials (India)--have evolved over 250 million years from a fully terrestrial, bipedal ancestor. Along with birds, crocodylians are the only living members of Archosauria, the group including nonavian dinosaurs. Ruling Reptiles features contributions on a broad range of topics surrounding crocodylian evolution and biology including osteology, osteohistology, developmental biology, myology, odontology, functional morphology, allometry, body size estimation, taphonomy, parasitology, ecology, thermophysiology, and ichnology. It demonstrates how the wide variety of these studies can also provide crucial insights into dinosaurian biology and evolution. Featuring the latest findings and interpretations, Ruling Reptiles: Crocodylian Biology and Archosaur Paleobiology is an essential resource for zoologists, biologists, and paleontologists.

Guide to crocodilians, designed to assist scientists, wildlife managers, crocodile farmers, tourist operators, conservationists, veterinarians, and others working with these reptiles. Provides extensive information on anatomy, including the crocodilian's skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urogenital and nervous systems. Includes full-colour photos, appendixes, list of further reading, glossary and index.

This authored dictionary presents a unique glossary of paleontological terms, taxa, localities, and concepts, with focus on the most significant orders, genera, and species in terms of historical turning points such as mass extinctions. The book is an accurate and up-to-date collection of the most important paleontological terms and taxa, and may be used as a resource by students, researchers, libraries, and museums. Though useful to many in professional and academic settings, the book is also aimed at general readers of scientific literature who may enjoy the material without a background in paleontology. While there are many current resources on the subject, few fully encapsulate an accurate representation of the paleontological lexicon. This book attempts to compile such a representation in a moderately comprehensive manner, and includes a list of the most important monographs and articles that have been consulted to put together this essential work.

This new and significantly updated authored dictionary is a unique glossary of paleontological terms, taxa, localities, and concepts. It focuses primarily on identifying the most significant groups of fossil animals and plants in relation to their evolution and phylogeny. It also focuses on mass extinctions, on taxa that are problematic in some significant way, on the principal fossil-Lagerstätten of the world, and on historical turning points marked by index fossils. Although there are many current resources on the subject, none contains an accurate representation of the paleontological lexicon. Although well aware that the fast-changing field of paleontology will always defy any attempt at complete description, the author has attempted to provide an accurate and comprehensive set of about 4,000 entries that will be useful to professionals as well as to general readers of scientific literature without a background in paleontology.