This Giant Crocodile Relative Weighed as Much as a Car And Preyed on Rhino-Sized Mammals

Crocodiles are among today's most feared predators, but their ancient relatives make today's crocs seem as threatening as a cuddle-prone kitty with a cold.  It took a while, though: Since crocodyliforms arose more than 200 million years ago, they've gone through stages of non-threatening vegetarianism and even a literal cat-like form.  Eventually, evolution yielded some absolutely bonkers varieties that ruled their ecosystems with a scaly fist.  Enter the stone-cold (blooded) Purussaurus neivensis, a predecessor of caimans that attained 7 meters (23 feet) in length and 1,800 kilograms (4,000 pounds) in heft, similar to an average car. Crocodiles are among today's most feared predators, but their ancient relatives make today's crocs seem as threatening as a cuddle-prone kitty with a cold. It took a while, though: Since crocodyliforms arose more than 200 million years ago, they've g... [3818 chars]