Lamboay

The snout resembles that of a pug, giving the genus its name, Simosuchus, which means "blunted crocodile" in Ancient Greek; and the binomial name clarki, named after Dr. James M. Clark, a paleontologist who studied crocodyliform evolution.

The common name in Malagasy, Romanian, Italy, Romansh, Venetian, Spanish, and French as lamboay, which is compound word from Malagasy itself, lambo means wild boar and voay means crocodile; compared to Malay "lambu buaya".

• Singular: lamboay

• Plural: lamboays

Simosuchus clarki did not resemble a contemporary crocodile at all. They had one of the smallest snouts of any crocodyliform, with a very short, wide, boxy body and a stocky, somewhat "bulldog-like" physique. Their armor featured thick bone plates (osteoderms) covering the back, sides, and even belly; their teeth were blunt, leaf-shaped, and intended for eating plants rather than shredding flesh; and their limbs were short, robust legs that probably held their limbs further beneath the body than those of modern crocodiles.

Simosuchus are around the size of a medium dog and range in length from 75 to 100 cm (2.5 to 3.3 feet).

Simosuchus clarki belonged to the notosuchian of the group Crocodyliformes (crocodile cousins). The name refers to a Gondwanan group of generally terrestrial, frequently strange crocodyliform relatives that are unique to the southern hemisphere. Notosuchus, Armadillosuchus, and Anatosuchus are their lost relatives. Notosuchians, in contrast to contemporary crocodiles, lived mostly on land and occupied niches akin to those occupied by rodents, treeshrews, rabbits, or gymnures (herbivores, omnivores, insectivores).

Simosuchus was a "crocodile," but it couldn't swim. Simosuchus would most likely struggle or drown if submerged in deep water. It was able to walk effectively on land because its limbs were positioned farther underneath its body (semi-erect) than those of current crocodiles. Because of its shovel-shaped snout, it was once believed to be a specialized burrower. Recent research, however, indicates that its skull was too weak for head-first digging; instead, Simosuchus probably dug with its strong front claws or just hid in pre-existing burrows.

In Madagascar's semi-arid, seasonal floodplains, Simosuchus was a strict herbivore that consumed ferns, tubers, and low-lying plants. It coexisted with the "frog from hell," Beelzebufo, and the enormous theropod Majungasaurus. Its main defenses were probably its strong armor and burrowing habits. Because it was a herbivorous crocodilian, it had an ecological niche as a ground-level browser and a role similar to that of a tiny armored mammal.

Reproduction

Like all archosaurs, it laid eggs. Differences in skull ornamentation among fossils suggest sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females may have looked slightly different to attract mates, but based on crocodyliform biology:

• Egg-laying (oviparous)

• Likely buried eggs in soil or vegetation

  • Possible limited parental care:

  • Guarding nest

  • Assisting hatchlings early on

• Hatchlings likely vulnerable despite armor

Simosuchus were probably peaceful and non-aggressive, with their primary activity being diurnal (active during the day). Their social behavior was likely solitary or loosely social, and they probably employed a defense strategy that involved using their armor and staying low. Simosuchus were not confrontational, and their intelligence was comparable to that of modern reptiles. Instead of using aggression, it most likely depended on avoidance.

Simosuchus would have been apathetic and non-aggressive toward humans, even though "friendly" is a stretch for a reptile. Simosuchus would have behaved like a modern iguana or a tortoise since it was small, slow, and lacked predatory instincts. It would have ignored humans unless it felt threatened, in which case it would have retreated into a burrow or hissed.

Simosuchus vanished during the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event approximately 66 million years ago. The asteroid impact and subsequent volcanic activity caused a global collapse of ecosystems. Specialized terrestrial herbivores like Simosuchus were particularly vulnerable to the loss of vegetation and the rapid climate shifts that followed.

Likely went extinct due to:

• End-Cretaceous mass extinction (asteroid impact)

• Collapse of plant ecosystems

• Climate disruption

• As a specialized herbivore, it may have been especially vulnerable to vegetation loss.

Although one single multicuspid tooth of this genus was found in India's Kallamedu Formation, Simosuchus was identified in the Maevarano Formation in Mahajanga Province. This region was a seasonal wetland during the Late Cretaceous, when severe droughts forced animals to adjust to times of scarcity.

• Movement Pattern: Not a Migrant

• Individual Type: Solo

• Population Trend: Stable

• Population: ???

• Locomotion: Amphibious

• Habitat: Stone Forest; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Cold Bamboo Forests; Tropical Bamboo Forests; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Graveyard Vale.

• Earth: 

  • Extinct: India; Madagascar

TBC

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• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simosuchus

• https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q135263

• https://www.gbif.org/species/4967754

• https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon_no=114380

• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02724634.2010.516784

• https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/crocodiles

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Simosuchus-clarki-989471127