Book Review: King of the Crocodylians
In Chapter 3, "The Size of Deinosuchus," Schwimmer discusses the original size estimates of Deinosuchus and how modern estimates have been arrived at. Only the skull of the large specimen from the AMNH was found; based on the length of the skull, the specimen was estimated to be as large as 50 feet (15.2 meters) long in 1954 by Colbert and Bird. Using research done on extant (still living) and extinct species, this same specimen is now estimated to have been only about 37 feet (12 meters) in length. Schwimmer discusses other animals that are now believed to be smaller than their original size estimates, and how Deinosuchus could have grown to such large sizes.
In Chapter 4, "The Age of Deinosuchus," Schwimmer discusses the time span in which Deinosuchus lived, and how we know that it lived at this time. Schwimmer gives descriptions of relative dating, absolute dating, and biostratigraphy (using index fossils).
In Chapter 5, "Deinosuchus Localities and Their Ancient Environments," Schwimmer discusses some of the areas in which Deinosuchus remains have been found, and what we can learn about the paleoenvironment from the other fossils that are found with Deinosuchus remains. In Chapter 6, "How Many Deinosuchus Species Existed?" Schwimmer discusses some of the major similarities and differences between the different species of Deinosuchus and his reasons for believing that they were all the same species.
In Chapter 7, "A Genealogy of Deinosuchus," Schwimmer gives a more detailed explanation of his definition of crocodylian. He also introduces and defines the terms Crocodylomorpha and Crocolyliformes. Table 7.1 is a taxonomy of Deinosuchus and other members of the Crocodylia. Schwimmer goes on to describe the differences and similarities of some members of the Infraclass Archosauromorpha, the Infraclass to which the Crocodylomorpha, Crocoyliformes, Crocodylia, Mesoeucrocodylians, and Eusuchia.
In Chapter 8, "The Prey of Giants," Schwimmer discusses the animals that are believed to have been preyed upon by Deinosuchus based on its body and tooth type and by the evidence of tooth marks on the fossils of other animals. Appendices include a table of the Geologic Time and Subdivisions of the Late Cretaceous, a Glossary of Anatomic and Cladistic Terms, a List of Deinosuchus Localities, References, and an Index.
I found King of the Crocodylians to be very informative, summarizing much of the research into Deinosuchus, and also easily understandable. King of the Crocodylians is written for the reader who is at least somewhat familiar
Latest Articles