#alligatorinae

[arminreindl]

Ahdeskatanka is a small species of alligatorine that lived during the Eocene in what is now North Dakota. Like many other of its kin, it had blunt teeth better suited for crushing the shells of small animals than for grapling with prey.

Instead, the niche of a generalist similar to modern alligators was filled by the brachychampsin caiman Chrysochampsa, which accordingly proves to be much larger than Ahdeskatanka.

[faunalregion]

[animalids]

American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

Photo by Michal Tyl

[arminreindl]

Ahdeskatanka is a small species of alligatorine that lived during the Eocene in what is now North Dakota. Like many other of its kin, it had blunt teeth better suited for crushing the shells of small animals than for grapling with prey.

Instead, the niche of a generalist similar to modern alligators was filled by the brachychampsin caiman Chrysochampsa, which accordingly proves to be much larger than Ahdeskatanka.

[animalids]

American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

Photo by V. Mason