Friday, November 20, 2009 | Science : Evolution and Biology | print version

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Two articles on the real-life ''CrocoDuck''

by Telegraph.co.uk and CBSNews.com

Thanks to Peter for the link.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/dinosaurs/6609636/Fossils-of-dinosaur-era-crocodiles-found-in-Sahara.html

Fossils of dinosaur-era crocodiles found in Sahara

Unlike their modern cousins, the ancient crocodilians were as agile on land as they were in the water.

They were reptiles like the dinosaurs, but belonged to a completely separate lineage that continues to this day.

The crocodiles once ran and swam across present-day Niger and Morocco, when the region was covered by lush plains and broad rivers.

Scientists found the newly-identified fossils at a number of sites in the Sahara desert. Many were uncovered at one location, lying on the surface of a remote and windswept stretch of rock and dunes.

Expedition leader Professor Paul Sereno, from the University of Chicago, has previously described the largest find, Sarcosuchus imperator, which measured 40 feet and weighed eight tons.

Popularly known as ''SuperCroc'', the giant carnivore was the biggest but not the strangest of the extinct creatures.

They were given nicknames by the scientists, based on their unusual physical features.

''BoarCroc'' (Kaprosuchus saharicus): A 20 feet upright meat-eater with an armoured snout and three sets of dagger-shaped fangs.

''RatCroc'' (Araripesuchus rattoides): Discovered in Morocco, this was a three-foot-long upright plant and grub-eater. It had a pair of lower jaw buckteeth which were used to dig for food.

''PancakeCroc'' (Laganosuchus thaumastos): This animal's fossils were found in Niger and Morocco. It was a 20-foot-long squat fish-eater with a three-foot-long pancake-flat head and spiky teeth on slender jaws.

''DuckCroc'' (Anatosuchus minor): A three-foot upright species that ate fish, frogs and grubs. It had a broad, overhanging snout and a long nose. Sensory areas on the snout helped it root around shallow waters for prey
...
Continue reading
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/dinosaurs/6609636/Fossils-of-dinosaur-era-crocodiles-found-in-Sahara.html
_________________________________________________________________
Thanks to rod-the-farmer for the link.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/19/tech/main5710391.shtml

Fossils Shed Light on Ancient "Croc World"

(AP) A 20-foot-long crocodile with three sets of fangs - like wild boar tusks - roamed parts of northern Africa millions of years ago, researchers reported Thursday.

While this fearsome creature hunted meat, not far away another newly found type of croc with a wide, flat snout like a pancake was fishing for food.

And a smaller, 3-foot-long relative with buckteeth was chomping plants and grubs in the same region.

The three new species, along with new examples of two previously known ancient crocodiles, were detailed Thursday by researchers Paul Sereno of the University of Chicago and Hans Larsson of McGill University in Montreal. They spoke at a news conference organized by the National Geographic Society, which sponsored the research.

"These species open a window on a croc world completely foreign to what was living on northern continents," Sereno said of the unusual animals that lived 100 million years ago on the southern continent known as Gondwana.

Hans Dieter Sues of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History said the discovery revises the ideas of what crocodile-type reptiles were like.
...
Continue reading
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/19/tech/main5710391.shtml

Posted: Friday, November 20, 2009 | Permalink

Comments 1 - 48 of 48 |

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1. Comment #433448 by alabasterocean on November 20, 2009 at 1:20 pm

If I can decide how I die I like to be eaten by a CrocoDuck!

Edit: Not Karen Armstrong, a real one...

Other Comments by alabasterocean

2. Comment #433451 by phasmagigas on November 20, 2009 at 1:27 pm

i love reading about all thesee colossal creatures that used to be! so im very happy that evolution has finally been validated by the crocoduck find, kirk and comfort better start sucking on their bananas again.

Other Comments by phasmagigas

3. Comment #433464 by TheDawgLives on November 20, 2009 at 1:57 pm

How long until Ken Ham claims that since Richard Dawkins was wrong about the Crocoduck existing, then he's wrong about evolution too?

Other Comments by TheDawgLives

4. Comment #433466 by bluebird on November 20, 2009 at 2:04 pm

Awesome! Recent N.G. mag/website featured these critters (http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/11/croc-world/crocs-animation), and I'm happy to see all the just released articles about them.

I've been looking forward to the N.G. special 'When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs' - it airs tomorrow night.

Other Comments by bluebird

5. Comment #433467 by cerad on November 20, 2009 at 2:07 pm

How long until Ken Ham claims that since Richard Dawkins was wrong about the Crocoduck existing, then he's wrong about evolution too?

Don't you folks even bother to read the articles before posting? They did NOT find a Crocoduck. They found a DuckCroc. Very important distinction.

Other Comments by cerad

6. Comment #433468 by SyDaemon on November 20, 2009 at 2:09 pm

The irony of it. What was meant as an insult by creationists by using an exaggeration turned out to be an actual fossil find.

"Show us the crocoducks!"

"Here you go."

"Oh..."

Other Comments by SyDaemon

7. Comment #433469 by sillygirl on November 20, 2009 at 2:10 pm

I love the ancient crocodiles. I'll have to watch for that Nat Geo program.

Other Comments by sillygirl

8. Comment #433470 by TheDawgLives on November 20, 2009 at 2:17 pm

Don't you folks even bother to read the articles before posting? They did NOT find a Crocoduck. They found a DuckCroc. Very important distinction.

The point is that reality has very little to do with what Ken Ham says.

Other Comments by TheDawgLives

9. Comment #433474 by BiologicDentists.com on November 20, 2009 at 2:22 pm

I wish Kirk Cameron would be eaten by a Crocoduck. SOON.

Other Comments by BiologicDentists.com

10. Comment #433477 by chuckgoecke on November 20, 2009 at 2:30 pm

It is noteworthy that the only crocodilians that seem to have made it past the K-T extinction event were the aquatic, den-burrowing ones, like we have now. This lifestyle would have made surviving the event more likely.

Other Comments by chuckgoecke

11. Comment #433481 by ewaldrep on November 20, 2009 at 2:38 pm

Thanks for the link bluebird, the animations were excellent. Just a few days earlier they could have put a pic of the crocoduck/duckcroc on the cover of the origin of species that they just handed out. If I weren't focused selfishly on my own graduate studies I would have gone over to Case Western to try and get a copy!

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12. Comment #433482 by Meph on November 20, 2009 at 2:38 pm

Please stand-by while Comfort and Co. finish their construction on the field. The last phase of this project is moving the goal posts.

Other Comments by Meph

13. Comment #433485 by Sandra S on November 20, 2009 at 2:52 pm

3. Comment #433464 by TheDawgLives

I was just thinking that.

This will probably just deepen creationists' misunderstanding of evolution as one modern animal evolving into another.

Other Comments by Sandra S

14. Comment #433486 by John Locke on November 20, 2009 at 2:55 pm

this is quite funny but it wont change a thing.

if they refuse to see with their own eyes (them creationists them!) the development towards homo sapiens, the other fossilized remains and genetic trails so blatant to any being with a basic grasp on reality, then they won't see this for what it is.

its like reasoning with children - you will always be wrong because their scope doesn't cover rationality or reality.

still worth a chuckle on our part!

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15. Comment #433494 by Absinthius on November 20, 2009 at 3:17 pm

This is just fantastic. Love those animations! How I would like to just have a short looksie looksie on pre-historic earth, totally amazing to even imagine animals like this walking around.

If them creationists cant see the sheer beauty of it and experience the marvel of realizing it actually really was something like that... their damn loss. Reality is just so much better than pathetic stories of boats full of manure (and some animals) and floods and stuff.

Other Comments by Absinthius

16. Comment #433495 by Mbee on November 20, 2009 at 3:18 pm

bluebird on November 20, 2009 at 2:04 pm

I've been looking forward to the N.G. special 'When Crocs Ate Dinosaurs' - it airs tomorrow night.

That's on Nat Geo at Sat 9 pm Eastern( 6 pm PST) US

Preceded by 'Bizarre Dinosaurs' for anyone else interested in Dinos.

Other Comments by Mbee

17. Comment #433498 by Mbee on November 20, 2009 at 3:22 pm

Absinthius, Wouldn't they have just dumped the manure overboard!

Would that make them the first polluters?

Other Comments by Mbee

18. Comment #433504 by rod-the-farmer on November 20, 2009 at 3:35 pm

Ooooooo please does anyone know the two scientists who made these discoveries ? Please contact them and BEG them to change the name of "the one", to
crocoduck comfortus.

Other Comments by rod-the-farmer

19. Comment #433505 by Fuzzy Duck on November 20, 2009 at 3:40 pm

This makes me all kinds of happy.

-Kevin

Other Comments by Fuzzy Duck

20. Comment #433510 by Supreme Boeing on November 20, 2009 at 3:55 pm

On the CrocoDuck / DuckCroc controversy, this quote from Futurama just had to be posted here:

Fry: "Why couldn’t she be the other type of mermaid, with the fish part on top and the lady part on the bottom?!"

[edit] prepended a closing tag, because the forum software doesn't close all open tags automatically. C'mon, this isn't rocket surgery!

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21. Comment #433514 by John Locke on November 20, 2009 at 3:59 pm

carl pilkington of ricky gervais fame said something similar.... :D

Other Comments by John Locke

22. Comment #433519 by God fearing Atheist on November 20, 2009 at 4:15 pm

18. Comment #433504 by rod-the-farmer

Rod (or Fuzzy Duck) could you check if you have closed "bold" in your html please. Its screwing "100 latest comments" even if "Supreme Boeing" has fixed it on this page.

Other Comments by God fearing Atheist

23. Comment #433523 by cherryteresa on November 20, 2009 at 4:29 pm

Wondering if someone will say that these scientists are satan in human form and so their findings are not to be trusted. This is god's way of testing our faith.

Other Comments by cherryteresa

24. Comment #433525 by Ygern on November 20, 2009 at 4:42 pm

Hehe, I guess this means that Ray Comfort & Harun Yahya will concede defeat now?

Or not...

Other Comments by Ygern

25. Comment #433531 by cherryteresa on November 20, 2009 at 4:57 pm

24. Comment #433525 by Ygern on November 20, 2009 at 4:42 pm

I doubt it. They didn't back down after the banana thing. Their beliefs are based on faith and not evidence. But I'm interested to see what Kirk and Ray's response will be, if they do respond.

Other Comments by cherryteresa

26. Comment #433532 by icantlogoff on November 20, 2009 at 5:04 pm

Way of the Master [Version 1.0]
Copyright (c) 2000 Way of the Master. All rights reserved.

c:\
c:\dir
Volume in Drive c is COMFORT
Volume Serial Number is 10124050

Directory of C:

11/08/2009 08:54 PM 14,828 10 .darwinforward
06/24/2009 10:49 PM 3,736 09 movegoalposts.exe
06/09/2009 12:45 PM 4,020 10 godbanana.exe
08/08/2009 11:34 AM 3,901 08 richarddawkins.html

c:\ run movegoalposts.exe

can't run movegoalposts.exe (already running)

c:\ kill movegoalposts.exe | run truth.exe

movegoalposts.exe killed
can not find truth.exe

c:\ movegoalposts.exe

running movegoalpost.exe

c:\ net send Kirk Crap, not again - does the lord not like us?

Sent

c:\ run newposition.exe

newposition.exe not found

c:\ run divineinspiration.exe

divineinspiration.exe not found

c:\ run randomcombinationofanimals.exe

randomconbinationofanimals.exe - running

Other Comments by icantlogoff

27. Comment #433543 by Enlightenme.. on November 20, 2009 at 5:25 pm

"Preceded by 'Bizarre Dinosaurs' for anyone else interested in Dinos."

Who isn't?
Why do you think Liars for [divine lawgivers] pay so much mind to them?

They know that dinos plant the seeds of atheism in their kid's still open minds.

Other Comments by Enlightenme..

28. Comment #433544 by bucketchemist on November 20, 2009 at 5:27 pm

#26 Brilliant

Other Comments by bucketchemist

29. Comment #433545 by stptrck75 on November 20, 2009 at 5:34 pm

I can't believe someone (John Locke @ #21) mentioned Karl Pilkington on RD.net. I love it.
Karl has finally broken through.

Karl's understanding of the evolution of Homo sapiens:

"bacteria...fish...mermaid...man"

Brilliant.
I also like Mr. Garrison's (South Park) explanation of evolution:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8asQkegV_wk&feature=related

Other Comments by stptrck75

30. Comment #433551 by glenister_m on November 20, 2009 at 5:51 pm

So can we claim Harun Yahya's trillion dollar prize now£

Other Comments by glenister_m

31. Comment #433562 by TIKI AL on November 20, 2009 at 6:17 pm

I believe Richard's tie has just gone way up in value. It can predict the past.

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32. Comment #433577 by Rikitiki13 on November 20, 2009 at 7:27 pm

Unfortunately, Comfort and company might just see this as confirmation: Look! The day after we do that Darwin book give-away, THIS comes out. The lord is giving us a SIGN - telling us we were right all along - WE came up with the Crocoduck (marca registrada, patent rights pending) FIRST!!

Other Comments by Rikitiki13

33. Comment #433585 by cherryteresa on November 20, 2009 at 7:59 pm

Didn't Kirk and Ray also have an owl dog or something? The funny thing is, I think if god did exist, then we would see the owl dog and other random stuff all the time. God would just make random animals to be funny and because he could.

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34. Comment #433593 by Rikitiki13 on November 20, 2009 at 8:42 pm

(okay, just couldn't help myself...)

Crocoduck
(sung to the tune of “Mercedes Benz” (thanks, Gregg!) – originally sung by Janis Joplin, this one should be sung if possible in a Ray Comfort-voice)

Oh Lord, wanna thank you for the crocoduck
Atheists were skeptics, now they’re outta luck
Shows we were right and should generate more bucks
So Lord, wanna thank you for the crocoduck

Oh Lord, won’t ya buy me a spot on TV
Where we can exploit this new discovery
I’m sure Kirk and I can convince them to see
If you could just get us a spot on TV

Oh Lord, won’t ya give me a Darwin Award
I re-did his book so you’d not get ignored
I’ve heard they’re quite special, so please help me Lord
I’ll take any risk for a Darwin Award

Other Comments by Rikitiki13

35. Comment #433602 by Duff on November 20, 2009 at 9:33 pm

Rodthefarmer,
I was thinking the same thing. What is the matter with these paleos? Are they so out of touch they don't know about the crockoduck controversy? Duckcrock! Give me a break.

Other Comments by Duff

36. Comment #433612 by Gregg Townsend on November 20, 2009 at 11:01 pm

34. Comment #433593 by Rikitiki13

I believe the name of the song is "Mercedes Benz".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z031l0E_5n4

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37. Comment #433614 by Rikitiki13 on November 20, 2009 at 11:27 pm

Thanks, Gregg - fixed it!

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38. Comment #433619 by Rawhard Dickins on November 21, 2009 at 12:37 am

Do crockoducks eat bananas?

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39. Comment #433626 by NormanDoering on November 21, 2009 at 1:24 am

When I came up with a real crocoduck I used Archaeopteris:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESd1qLEGjQc

It actually has a lizard like head on a bird's body.

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40. Comment #433635 by noelbroadhead on November 21, 2009 at 4:39 am

Well then, I got me a new avatar.

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41. Comment #433657 by rod-the-farmer on November 21, 2009 at 10:03 am

OK, it is done. I located Dr. Hans Larsson at McGill University in Montreal, and wrote to him asking if he would change the name of one of his fossils to "crocoduck comfortus". I explained why, and included YouTube links to the banana and crocoduck videos.

Fingers crossed. Or, as they say in Germany, fingers twisted.

Other Comments by rod-the-farmer

42. Comment #433662 by SRWB on November 21, 2009 at 11:42 am

I'm glad this finally made it on the site - I commented on this way back on 14 Oct after receiving my Nat Geo copy.

I think renaming this beast "crocoduck comfortus" or better yet "Anatosuchus comfortus"* would be more in keeping with scientific terminology and be a most fitting tribute indeed!

*Edited for terminology

Other Comments by SRWB

43. Comment #433710 by Border Collie on November 21, 2009 at 3:36 pm

It had a duck-bill shaped mouth, snout, head, face, whatever ... It's not a fucking crocoduck. Let it go, let it go, let it go ..................

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44. Comment #433749 by Pobjoy on November 21, 2009 at 6:55 pm

38. Comment #433619 by Rawhard Dickins

Do crockoducks eat bananas?

Of course not! The sky fairy specifically designed bananas to fit in HUMAN hands, remember?

Other Comments by Pobjoy

45. Comment #433809 by DrawingYou on November 21, 2009 at 10:58 pm

“I located Dr. Hans Larsson at McGill University in Montreal, and wrote to him asking if he would change the name of one of his fossils to "crocoduck comfortus". I explained why, and included YouTube links to the banana and crocoduck videos. Fingers crossed. Or, as they say in Germany, fingers twisted.”

@ rod-the-farmer: Nice job, now that shows initiative. But isn’t twisting or crossing your fingers only third level magic? For first level magic you have to kill something? At least you have to eat the flesh and drink the blood of a deity while holding your banana, or something like that.

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46. Comment #433858 by rod-the-farmer on November 22, 2009 at 10:17 am

Sorry, no bananas to sacrifice. Today is Grey Cup day (Canadian football championship) and I plan to sacrifice a couple of burgers on the barbie. My neighbour got a second deer just off the back of my property yesterday. Does that count ? First one was with a crossbow, and this one was black powder. And the other day he got a coyote with a 22-250. They are considered pests and OK to hunt any time.

EDIT....sorry, not paying enough attention to TV commercials. Grey Cup is NEXT weekend.

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47. Comment #433884 by Border Collie on November 22, 2009 at 2:57 pm

Do crocoducks eat bananas? Yes, but only with peanut butter.

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48. Comment #434799 by rod-the-farmer on November 25, 2009 at 11:27 am

OK, I received a response from Dr. Hans Larsson at McGill University, regading my suggestion to rename the fossil as a 'crocoduck comfortus' as follows:

Dear Sir,

Renaming a species is a long and formal affair and can only be done if there is a direct conflict to the name. The references below are interesting (pretty comical if it didn't impact public science education) but would not be of official conflict to rename a published species. Thanks for the note though. I can honestly say that I've never heard of Kirk Cameron nor his Crocoduck. I suppose in this case media filtration is a good thing.

regards,

Hans Larsson

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