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The Cerrejon formation in Columbia was a home of giants in the Selandian of the Paleocene, such as the largest snake ever, Titanoboa cerrejonensis, and the largest freshwater turtle, Carbonemys coffrini. But today I'm talking about the 4.8 metre shell-crunching dyrosaurid crocodile Anthracosuchus balrogus with the widest and strongest bite of any dryosaurid crocodile and the largest foxemydine bothremydid side-necked turtle Puentemys mushaisaensis, with a shell length of 1.51 metres long. So, could the killer croc crack the largest shell of a bothremydid? Let's find out.
The fight
60 million years ago in what is now Columbia, a colossal P. mushaisaenisis named Carlos is swimming in the swamps of South America, unaware of the danger he is in. His powerful shell protects him from most creatures in the swamp, but a specialized weopon can easily take him down. Peacefully swimming in search of fish to eat, he starts drifting into the territory of Alexander, a fully-grown Anthracosuchus balrogus. The crocodile is motionless like a log, and Carlos is tired of dragging his heavy shell all over the place. He approaches the log, getting ready to clamber up upon it, but then the log springs to life and bites his front right arm. He quickly folds his 0.6 metre head into his shell, and his legs, including one broken appendage, follow up, getting concealed in the powerful shield. Alexander tries to crush the shell, but only cracks the edge. Carlos suddenly springs out and counters Alexander by chomping down on the soft underbelly, but ends up with his head inside the short, powerful jaws of his foe, and gets crunched. An injured Alexander finally cracks open the turtle.
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