biology

Gobiosuchus

Gobiosuchus is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Gobiosuchus rather than just read about it. In short: Gobiosuchus ("Gobi [desert] crocodile") is an extinct genus of crocodyliform described in 1972 by Polish palaeontologist Halszka Osmólska. It hails from the Late Cretaceous (Early Campanian) of Bayn Dzak (Djadokhta Formation), in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia.

Key takeaways

Gobiosuchus belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Gobiosuchus to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Gobiosuchus from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Gobiosuchus ("Gobi [desert] crocodile") is an extinct genus of crocodyliform described in 1972 by Polish palaeontologist Halszka Osmólska. It hails from the Late Cretaceous (Early Campanian) of Bayn Dzak (Djadokhta Formation), in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. The type species is Gobiosuchus kielanae, classified as a member of the family Gobiosuchidae.

Description Gobiosuchus is a small and gracile animal with long, slender limbs (despite the comparatively small pectoral and pelvic girdles) and a relatively elongated neck. It is very heavily armoured, with several transverse rows of dorsal and ventral osteoderms that correspond to each vertebra and meet laterally, forming overlapping cylindrical "rings" of dermal scutes surrounding the entirety of the neck (8 transverse rows), torso (10 transverse rows), and tail. It also has osteoderms on the limbs arranged in a mosaic pattern. The cervical and thoracic scutes have a thickened ridge on their posterior end, where they overlapped the next ring behind it, limiting flexibility despite the elongated proportions. The skull is relatively short and tall, with large orbits and laterally projecting squamosal bones of the skull roof. The palate possesses several pits to receive the sharp, conical teeth of the lower jaw, with the biggest of these corresponding to the enlarged fourth dentary tooth.

References

Further reading Pol, Diego; Norell, Mark A. (2004-10-28). "A new gobiosuchid crocodyliform taxon from the Cretaceous of Mongolia". American Museum Novitates. 3458: 1–31. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2004)458<0001:ANGCTF>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0003-0082.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Gobiosuchus

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Gobiosuchus claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Gobiosuchus before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Gobiosuchus ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Gobiosuchus

In research: Gobiosuchus appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Gobiosuchus in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Gobiosuchus is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Crocodyliformes, Djadochta fauna, Fossils of Mongolia, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Gobiosuchus outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Gobiosuchus in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Gobiosuchus means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Gobiosuchus out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Gobiosuchus in simple terms?

Why does Gobiosuchus matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Gobiosuchus?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Gobiosuchus.