The new species of reptile has been called Alligator munensis, or the "Mun River Alligator". (Photo: Asia News Network)Bangkok (VNA) - TheNatural Resources and Environment Ministry of Thailand on October 18 confirmed thatfossilised remains found in 2005 belong to an alligator species never beforerecorded in world history.
The new species of reptilehas been called Alligator munensis, or the "Mun River Alligator".
The alligator's fossils were discovered in Non Sung district,Nakhon Ratchasima, about 300 kilometres northeast of Bangkok.
The fossilised skull, jawsand other parts of the ancient creature were examined by a research team fromthe University of Tübingen in Germany, along with the Department of MineralResources and Chulalongkorn University.
This species is believed to have existed no later than theMiddle Pleistocene period, approximately 230,000 years ago.
Alligators bear a resemblance to crocodiles but can bedistinguished by their U-shaped snout, as opposed to the slender, V-shapedsnouts of crocodiles.
An intriguing characteristicthat sets Mun River Alligators apart from other alligators is their wider andshorter snout, along with a higher skull. Their nostrils are also positionedfurther away from the snout’s tip.
Additionally, toothsockets that are larger and fewer in number suggest that these alligators hadlarger teeth suited for crushing crustaceans, including freshwater molluscs.
Judging from the skullsize, researchers estimated the Mun River Alligator grew to 1-2 metres inlength.
There are two livingalligator species – the American (Alligator mississippiensis) and the Chinese(Alligator sinensis).
The cranial features ofthe Mun River Alligator bear a striking resemblance to the Chinese alligator.
Thissuggests a common ancestor shared between the Yangtze and Mekong-Chaophrayabasins. Geomorphic changes caused by the uplift of the Tibetan plateau likelyled to the separation of this ancestral species into two populations, withclimate change eventually driving the Mun River alligator to extinction./.
