Researchers have described new fossils belonging to an extinct crocodile-like creature that had a set of serrated teeth like those of a T. rex. The animal was a top predator in Madagascar 170 million years ago, around the time dinosaurs roamed Earth. Its huge jaw and serrated teeth suggest that, like T. rex, it fed on hard animal tissue such as bone and tendon. It appears to be the earliest and biggest representative of a group of croc-like animals called Notosuchians. The animal's scientific name is Razanandrongobe sakalavae, which means "giant lizard ancestor from Sakalava region". Read more
Fossils of a complete crocodile and bones belonging to at least six different dinosaurs from the Cretaceous Period, 145 to 66 million years ago, have been excavated in northeast China's Jilin Province. After a year of preparation, paleontologists from Chinese Academy of Sciences and a local fossil center began the excavation in late May, following the discovery of dinosaur fossils at Longshan Mountain in the city of Yanji in May 2016. Read more
The oldest crocodilian eggs known to science have been discovered in the cliffs of western Portugal. They are so well preserved that they give an insight into the "mother croc" that laid them 152 million years ago. The prehistoric crocodile ancestor would have spanned two metres, based on the size of the larger eggs, say palaeontologists. Read more
Ancient Dwarf Crocodile Relative Discovered On Scottish Isle
It might not be related to the Loch Ness monster, but a new fossil discovered on the Isle of Skye in Scotland is definitely the countrys first and oldest crocodile fossil. This small fossil may not look like much, but it reveals a host of important information about the evolutionary history of this peculiar group. Read more
Shinjuku has a population density of about 17,000 people per square kilometre but undeterred by this it has granted citizenship to a new resident, who only goes by one name - Godzilla. Read more
Palaeontologists have found evidence of an ancient type of crocodile that makes its modern-day ancestors look positively soft. The 2.75m-long creature roamed North Carolina on its hind legs and has been appropriately nicknamed "the Carolina Butcher". Living about 230 million years ago, Carnufex carolinensis - to give its official name - feasted on small mammals and armoured reptiles during the late Triassic period, before the dinosaurs had became fully established. Read more
Fossilised crocodile tooth 'largest of its kind in UK'
The fossilised tooth of a prehistoric crocodile has been recorded as the largest of its kind found in the UK. The 5.5cm tooth was dredged from the seabed near Chesil Beach, Dorset. It belonged to an ancient relative of modern crocodiles, known as Dakosaurus maximus. Read more
Skull fragments reveal new ancient crocodile species
Two fossilised skull fragments from a 2ft (60cm) crocodile found on the Isle of Wight point to the discovery of a new ancient species, a study has found. The pieces - a snout and back part of the skull - were found by different private collectors three months apart. Experts at the Dinosaur Isle museum near Sandown found the 126 million-year-old fragments "fitted together perfectly to make a complete skull". Read more
Jurassic jaws: how ancient crocodiles flourished during the age of the dinosaurs
Research published today [11 September] in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B shows, for the first time, how the jaws of ancient crocodiles evolved to enable these animals to survive in vastly different environments, all whilst living alongside the dinosaurs 235 to 65 million years ago. Read more
New Measurement of Crocodilian Nerves Could Lead to Better Understanding of Ancient Animals' Behaviour, MU Researcher Finds
Crocodilians have nerves on their faces that are so sensitive, they can detect a change in a pond when a single drop hits the water surface several feet away. Alligators and crocodiles use these "invisible whisker" to detect prey when hunting. Now, a new study from the University of Missouri has measured the nerves responsible for this function, which will help biologists understand how today's animals, as well as dinosaurs and crocodiles that lived millions of years ago, interact with the environment around them. Read more