Crocodiles are large aquatic reptiles found primarily in the tropics of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australia. These formidable predators are known for their thick skin, elongated bodies, V-shaped snouts, and powerful jaws filled with conical teeth, adapted for capturing and holding onto their prey. They inhabit a variety of freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, wetlands, and sometimes saltwater regions. Crocodiles are ancient animals, having changed little since the time of the dinosaurs, and are famous for their “death roll” — a hunting maneuver used to subdue and dismember large prey. They exhibit complex behaviors, including sophisticated hunting strategies, vocal communications, and, surprisingly, caring parental care with mothers guarding their nests and young. Despite their fearsome reputation, many species are threatened by habitat destruction, poaching for their skin, and human conflict, necessitating conservation efforts to ensure their survival.
A groundbreaking discovery reveals the oldest fossilized reptile skin, showing significant evolutionary features and offering a unique perspective on early terrestrial animal life. Preserved in…
Researchers have mapped the family tree of crocodiles and their extinct relatives to shed new light on why there are so few species of the…
In 1986, John Watson’s finger was bitten off by a crocodile. A Nyikina Mangala man from the Jarlmadangah Burru Aboriginal Community of the Kimberley, John…
Researchers have digitally reconstructed the skull of Crassigyrinus scoticus, a 330-million-year-old species, revealing a shape similar to a modern crocodile rather than the previously assumed…
New research led by the University of Oxford has revealed that the most endangered turtle and crocodile species are those that are most unique. Their…
New research has uncovered a new thalattosuchian – an ancient ‘sister’ of modern-day crocodiles’ ancestors. The recent discovery of Turnersuchus hingleyae is a result of…
Experiments on ancient proteins reveal that mutations are more numerous and nuanced than previously believed. A study by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln investigated crocodiles’ unique…
Environmental drivers such as sea level affect genetic evolution and point to where conservation efforts may be focused. What drives crocodile evolution? Is climate a…
Researchers find crocodile species that likely preyed on early humans. Millions of years ago, giant dwarf crocodiles inhabited Africa that loved to eat our human…
Advanced nuclear and synchrotron imaging has confirmed that a 93-million-year-old crocodile found in Central Queensland devoured a juvenile dinosaur based on remains found in the…
There are two main reasons crocodiles survived the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs. First, crocodiles can live for a very long time without food. Second,…
A new species of large prehistoric croc that roamed south-east Queensland’s waterways millions of years ago has been documented by University of Queensland researchers. PhD…
It’s well known that reptiles depend on temperature cues while in the egg to determine a hatchling’s sex. Now, researchers writing in the journal Trends in…
New ancient DNA-based study on Madagascar crocodile suggests that modern crocodiles likely originated in Africa. A study led by scientists at the American Museum of…
New research led by the University of Bristol has revealed that crocodiles once flourished on land and in the oceans as a result of fast…
Researchers discover impacts of Ice Age sea level changes in the genomes of Caribbean and Pacific crocodiles in Panama. Crocodiles are resilient animals from a…
Scientists probing a prehistoric crocodile group’s shadowy past have discovered a timeless truth – pore over anyone’s family tree long enough, and something surprising will…
New research by scientists at the University of Bristol explains how a “stop-start” pattern of evolution, governed by environmental change, could explain why crocodiles have…