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How Crocodiles Have Survived Over 230 Million Years and Two Mass Extinction Events

Learn why a comprehensive comparison of crocodile skulls, teeth, and jaws hints that generalists, not specialists are best built for longevity.

ByPaul Smaglik
Some 215 million years ago in what is now northwestern Argentina, the terrestrial crocodylomorph Hemiprotosuchus leali prepares to devour the early mammal relative Chaliminia musteloides. (Image Credit: Jorge Gonzalez)

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Crocodiles are persistent — not just in their deadly pursuit of prey, but in terms of their existence. The contemporary species hails from a 230-million-year lineage that has survived two mass extinction events.

A study in the journal Palaeontology identifies flexibility as a key to their longevity. Crocodylians that survived over millions of years can eat a variety of foods and live in multiple habitats. Understanding this level of adaptability could help threatened species survive.

“Extinction and survivorship are two sides of the same coin. Through all mass extinctions, some groups manage to persist and diversify. What can we learn by studying the deeper evolutionary patterns imparted by these events?” said Keegan Melstrom, professor at the University of Central Oklahoma and an author of the study, which she began as a graduate student there, in a press release.

Crocodylians are often referred to as “living fossils.” But that may be ...

  • Paul Smaglik

    Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.

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