Mekosuchus

Mekosuchus is an extinct genus of crocodilians known from islands of the southwest Pacific, including New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Its species lived during the late Cenozoic, with some surviving into the period of human settlement.

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Mekosuchus inexpectatus: An extinct Mekosuchus species known from late Pleistocene deposits on Grande Terre, New Caledonia. Its remains make New Caledonia the best-known setting for the genus.
Crocodyliformes: A group of archosaurs that includes living crocodilians and their extinct relatives. Mekosuchus belongs to this broader evolutionary group.
New Caledonian megafauna: The large-bodied animals known from prehistoric New Caledonia, many of which became extinct after human arrival. Mekosuchus was one member of the island's extinct large-animal community.
Human arrival in Oceania: The prehistoric settlement of the islands of Oceania by human populations. The timing of human settlement is compared with the disappearance of island Mekosuchus.
Mekosuchus kalpokasi: An extinct Mekosuchus species described from late Pleistocene deposits on Efate, Vanuatu. It documents the genus beyond New Caledonia, on an island farther east.
Crocodylia: The order containing living crocodilians and their closest extinct relatives. Mekosuchus is commonly classified within Crocodylia.
Quaternary paleontology: The study of fossils from the Quaternary Period, spanning the last 2.58 million years. Many known Mekosuchus fossils come from Quaternary deposits.
Extinction: The permanent loss of a species when its last individual dies. Mekosuchus is known only from fossils and is now extinct.
Grande Terre: The largest island of the New Caledonia archipelago in the southwest Pacific. Fossils of M. inexpectatus show the genus inhabited this island.
Terrestrial locomotion: Movement across land by animals that also may move in water. Some Mekosuchus anatomy has prompted debate about terrestrial movement.