Polydectes

In Greek mythology, King Polydectes /ˌpɒlɪˈdɛktiːz/ (Greek:  Πολυδέκτης) was the ruler of the island of Seriphos, son of either Magnes and an unnamed Naiad, or of Peristhenes and Androthoe, or of Poseidon and Cerebia. His story is largely a part of the myth of Perseus, and runs as follows according to the Bibliotheca and John Tzetzes.

Polydectes fell in love with Danaë when she and her son Perseus were saved by his brother Dictys (see: Acrisius). Perseus, old enough by the time, was very protective of his mother and wouldn't allow Polydectes near Danaë. Therefore, Polydectes hatched a plot to get rid of him so he could marry her. Under the pretence that he was going to marry Hippodamia, he ordered every man in Seriphos to supply him with suitable gifts. His friends were to provide horses but Perseus failed to bring any, so Polydectes announced that he wanted nothing more than the head of the Gorgon Medusa, being that Perseus had previously said he was up to a task so harsh as fetching a Gorgon's head. Perseus agreed and Polydectes told him that he could not return to the island without it. Perseus slew Medusa, supposedly using his shield as a mirror to avoid looking at her.

Polydectes of Sparta

Polydectes (Greek: Πολυδέκτης; reigned from c. 830 to c. 800 BC) was king of Sparta and a member of the Eurypontid dynasty. He was succeeded by king Eunomus.

Deinosuchus

Deinosuchus (/ˌdaɪnəˈsjuːkəs/ DY-nə-SEW-kəs) is an extinct genus related to the alligator that lived 80 to 73 million years ago (Ma), during the late Cretaceous period. The name translates as "terrible crocodile" and is derived from the Greek deinos (δεινός), "terrible", and soukhos (σοῦχος), "crocodile". The first remains were discovered in North Carolina (United States) in the 1850s; the genus was named and described in 1909. Additional fragments were discovered in the 1940s and were later incorporated into an influential, though inaccurate, skull reconstruction at the American Museum of Natural History. Knowledge of Deinosuchus remains incomplete, but better cranial material found in recent years has expanded scientific understanding of this massive predator.

Although Deinosuchus was far larger than any modern crocodile or alligator, with the largest adults measuring 10.6 m (35 ft) in total length, its overall appearance was fairly similar to its smaller relatives. It had large, robust teeth built for crushing, and its back was covered with thick hemispherical osteoderms. One study indicated Deinosuchus may have lived for up to 50 years, growing at a rate similar to that of modern crocodilians, but maintaining this growth over a much longer time.