schwimmer concluded in 2002 that the feeding patterns of "deinosuchus" most likely varied by geographic location; the smaller "deinosuchus" specimens of eastern north america would have been opportunistic feeders in an ecological niche similar to that of the modern american alligator. they would have consumed marine turtles, large fish, and smaller dinosaurs. the bigger, but less common, "deinosuchus" that lived in texas and montana might have been more specialized hunters, capturing and eating large dinosaurs. schwimmer noted no theropod dinosaurs in "deinosuchus"'s eastern range approached its size, indicating the massive crocodilian could have been the region's apex predator.