Mongabay · Climate & nature

New Crocodile Species Identified from Sphinx Limestone

Fossils unearthed in the early 1920s from the same limestone formation used to build Egypt's Great Sphinx have been identified as a new species of extinct long-snouted crocodile.

The ancient reptile, named Herugavialis cairensis, lived approximately 45 million years ago in northern Egypt. Researchers used CT scans on fossils, including a nearly complete skull, to distinguish it from the living false gharial, to which it was previously assigned.

Herugavialis belongs to the gavial group, ancient long-snouted crocodilians that once inhabited seas worldwide. Today, only two species of gavials survive, both in freshwater in South and Southeast Asia, and both are critically endangered or endangered due to hunting and habitat loss.

While many crocodilian species face threats, conservation efforts have led to significant recovery for some. For instance, the American alligator population has rebounded dramatically after decades of protection, and India has seen success in breeding gharials.

Despite conservation successes, habitat loss due to growing human populations remains a primary threat for several threatened crocodilian species. Poaching and smuggling also persist for some species, even where laws are in place.

The Nile crocodile is the only crocodile species found in Egypt today. Herugavialis cairensis, now identified from fossils carved into the Sphinx, highlights the region's ancient reptilian past, with crocodiles having disappeared from the Mediterranean about 6 million years ago.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.