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| Creature information | |
| Scientific name : | Desmatosuchus smalli |
| Time period : | Late Triassic |
| Primary diet : | Herbivore |
| In the documentary | |
Desmatosuchus (meaning "link crocodile") is an extinct genus of archosaur belonging to the Order Aetosauria. It lived during the Late Triassic in Texas, Arizona and New York. Desmatosuchus was one of the largest aetosaurs, being 5 metres (16 ft) long and about 1.50 m (5 ft) high. It possessed an armored body and pig-like head. It had a shovel-like snout and peg-like teeth that suggest it lived by uprooting soft plants, roots, tuber, and bulbs. Like many of its relatives, it had heavy armoured plates along its back, tail, and parts of the underside. However, unlike most other aetosaurs, Desmatosuchus also had two rows of spikes along the sides of its back. The largest spikes, above the shoulders, were 45 centimetres (18 in) long. These probably gave it extra protection against predators like Coelophyis, Rutiodon and Postosuchus.
In When Dinosaurs Roamed America[]
We only see it in one scene in the late Triassic segment. Desmatosuchus comes to the creek to drink. A confrontation between a Rutiodon and the Desmatosuchus happens and after it bellows aggressively a few times, the Rutiodon leaves the really well armored reptile alone. A Coelophysis appears and approaches the Desmatosuchus. The Coelophysis mocks a lunge at the Desmatosuchus but the target does not tolerate the Coelophysis's presence. It aggressively swipes its Armour-plated tail at the Coelophysis but it misses. The Coelophysis runs away shortly after.
Trivia[]
The Desmatosuchus sound effects sound like those of wild boars.
The narrator pronounces the species' name as "Demastosuchus", as a sort of nickname.