Ancient crocodylomorph catalogue A to Z
Land runners, freshwater hunters and marine forms across more than 200 million years
Crocodylomorphs were far more diverse than living crocodilians. Their history includes small terrestrial forms, armoured freshwater hunters and specialised marine branches.
Each card opens a complete profile separating preserved skulls, skeletons and teeth from functional inference and artistic reconstruction.
A
AAcherontisuchus
Acherontisuchus guajiraensis
A Paleocene Colombian dyrosaurid known from jaws and scattered bones in the Cerrejón river system.
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AAcresuchus
Acresuchus pachytemporalis
A large Late Miocene caiman from Amazonia with thickened temporal bones and a broad feeding toolkit.
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AAcynodon
Acynodon
A short-snouted Late Cretaceous eusuchian with rounded rear teeth adapted to crushing hard food.
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AAlligatorellus
Alligatorellus
A half-metre Late Jurassic neosuchian known from articulated skeletons and paired rows of osteoderms.
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AAllodaposuchus
Allodaposuchus
A Late Cretaceous European eusuchian whose many island species test the origins of crown crocodilians.
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AAllognathosuchus
Allognathosuchus polyodon
An Eocene alligatoroid with a short snout and enlarged blunt rear teeth for processing resistant food.
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AAnteophthalmosuchus
Anteophthalmosuchus
A long-skulled Early Cretaceous goniopholidid known from unusually complete European skeletons.
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AAraripesuchus
Araripesuchus
A small-bodied Cretaceous notosuchian recorded in several regions of Gondwana, with species-specific anatomy and uncertain diet.
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AArgochampsa
Argochampsa krebsi
A Paleocene Moroccan crocodilian known from a distinctive skull; its relationships and proposed salt-gland anatomy remain under study.
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AAsiatosuchus
Asiatosuchus
A Paleogene crocodilian genus whose species from Europe and Asia may represent several unrelated lineages.
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BBaru
Baru
A deep-skulled Australian mekosuchine crocodilian known from several Oligocene and Miocene species.
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BBaurusuchus
Baurusuchus
A terrestrial Late Cretaceous notosuchian from Brazil, with a tall skull and serrated cutting teeth.
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BBernissartia
Bernissartia fagesii
A small Belgian neosuchian with an articulated skeleton and a varied tooth row.
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BBorealosuchus
Borealosuchus
A North American eusuchian genus with several species before and after the end-Cretaceous extinction.
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BBottosaurus
Bottosaurus harlani
A broad-snouted North American alligatoroid known from crushing teeth and a substantial New Jersey specimen.
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BBoverisuchus
Boverisuchus
An Eocene planocraniid with long limbs and ziphodont teeth, adapted to more terrestrial movement than living crocodiles.
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BBrachychampsa
Brachychampsa montana
A Late Cretaceous alligatoroid with a broad snout, rounded rear teeth and a newly studied juvenile specimen.
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BBrochuchus
Brochuchus pigotti
A Miocene Kenyan crocodile with two named species and a moderate snout, known from skull, jaw and postcranial material.
Open profileC
CCaipirasuchus
Caipirasuchus spp.
A Brazilian sphagesaurid with differentiated teeth, osteoderms and a near-complete skeleton of C. mineirus.
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CCeratosuchus
Ceratosuchus burdoshi
A Late Paleocene alligatoroid known from a skull with paired projections at its rear corners.
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CCharactosuchus
Charactosuchus fieldsi
A Miocene Colombian crocodilian known from a partial long snout, with a wider historical assignment that remains uncertain.
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CCongosaurus
Congosaurus bequaerti
A Paleocene Angolan dyrosaurid represented by skull and body bones from coastal Landana.
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CCricosaurus
Cricosaurus spp.
A pelagic metriorhynchid with paddle-like limbs and a tail fluke, known from several revised species.
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DDakosaurus
Dakosaurus maximus
A Late Jurassic marine metriorhynchid with a deep skull, serrated teeth and a nearly complete Bavarian skeleton.
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DDakotasuchus
Dakotasuchus kingi
A Cenomanian crocodyliform known from vertebrae, shoulder bones and armour, but no diagnostic skull.
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DDeinosuchus
Deinosuchus
A giant Campanian alligatoroid from North America, known from massive skulls, armour and feeding traces.
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DDiplocynodon
Diplocynodon spp.
A European Cenozoic crocodilian genus whose species diagnoses and evolutionary placement are under active revision.
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DDoratodon
Doratodon carcharidens
A Late Cretaceous European crocodyliform whose serrated teeth once obscured its neosuchian affinities.
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DDyrosaurus
Dyrosaurus phosphaticus
A long-snouted North African dyrosaurid known from Paleocene and Early Eocene coastal deposits.
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EEdentosuchus
Edentosuchus tienshanensis
A Lower Cretaceous Chinese crocodyliform with a short skull and a highly differentiated tooth row.
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EElosuchus
Elosuchus cherifiensis; E. broinae
North African Cretaceous crocodyliforms with long narrow snouts and a revised species roster.
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EEocaiman
Eocaiman cavernensis and related taxa
An early South American caiman lineage documented mainly by Paleocene and Eocene jaws and a partial skull.
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EEosuchus
Eosuchus lerichei; E. minor
A Paleogene long-snouted crocodylian from Europe and North America, recovered as an early gavialoid in recent work.
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EEuthecodon
Euthecodon spp.
An African Neogene crocodilian with a very long, narrow snout and a taxonomically uneven fossil record.
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EEutretauranosuchus
Eutretauranosuchus delfsi
A Morrison Formation goniopholidid known for its unusual open palate and CT-studied skull.
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GGavialosuchus
Gavialosuchus eggenburgensis
An Early Miocene Austrian gavialoid whose name was once applied to unrelated North American long-snouted forms.
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GGeosaurus
Geosaurus giganteus
A short-snouted, fully marine Late Jurassic metriorhynchid with flippers and cutting teeth.
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GGlobidentosuchus
Globidentosuchus brachyrostris
A Venezuelan late Miocene caimanine with rounded rear teeth and a broad, short snout.
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GGnatusuchus
Gnatusuchus pebasensis
A small Pebas caimanine with a long jaw symphysis, forward-tilted teeth and rounded crushing crowns.
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GGoniopholis
Goniopholis
A European goniopholidid with a broad skull, interlocking osteoderms and a semi-aquatic ecology.
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GGryposuchus
Gryposuchus
A diverse Miocene South American gavialoid known from long jaws and skulls across several basins.
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HHanyusuchus
Hanyusuchus sinensis
A large Holocene Chinese gavialid with directly dated remains and rare cut-mark evidence of human contact.
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HHatcherichnus
Hatcherichnus
A Jurassic ichnogenus of tracks attributed to a crocodile relative, known from Utah and Asturias.
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HHesperogavialis
Hesperogavialis cruxenti
A long-snouted Miocene gavialoid known from incomplete skull remains in Venezuela.
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HHesperosuchus
Hesperosuchus agilis
A small terrestrial crocodylomorph from the Late Triassic Chinle Formation.
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HHsisosuchus
Hsisosuchus
A Jurassic Chinese mesoeucrocodylian known from several species and an expanding armour record.
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HHyposaurus
Hyposaurus rogersii
A Paleocene North American dyrosaurid known from a nearly complete New Jersey skeleton.
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IIberosuchus
Iberosuchus macrodon
A middle Eocene western European ziphodont crocodylomorph known from cranial fragments, teeth and osteoderms.
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IIkanogavialis
Ikanogavialis gameroi
A Venezuelan gavialoid known chiefly from a long, narrow skull.
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IIsisfordia
Isisfordia duncani
A small Australian crocodyliform with both skeleton and skull evidence.
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KKaprosuchus
Kaprosuchus saharicus
A tusked Cenomanian crocodyliform from Niger, known from a near-complete skull but no associated body skeleton.
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K
KKrokolithes
Krokolithes egg taxa
A named fossil-egg form; the parent crocodylomorph species is unknown.
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LLeidyosuchus
Leidyosuchus canadensis
A Campanian Canadian crocodilian whose genus was narrowed after a character-based revision.
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MMachimosaurus
Machimosaurus
A large Jurassic teleosauroid with blunt, reinforced teeth and evidence of hard-prey feeding.
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MMahajangasuchus
Mahajangasuchus insignis
A broad-skulled Malagasy crocodyliform with extensive body fossils.
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MMalawisuchus
Malawisuchus mwakasyungutiensis
A small Malawian crocodyliform with multicusped teeth and an unusually mobile jaw.
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MMekosuchus
Mekosuchus inexpectatus
A New Caledonian Quaternary mekosuchine with a short skull and rounded crushing teeth.
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MMetriorhynchus
Metriorhynchus geoffroyii
A Late Jurassic marine crocodylomorph genus now restricted to its type species after a taxonomic revision.
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MMourasuchus
Mourasuchus
A Miocene South American caiman with a broad flattened skull and numerous small teeth.
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MMusturzabalsuchus
Musturzabalsuchus buffetauti
A Laño crocodilian recognised from distinctive but incomplete jaws.
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MMycomorphoolithus
Mycomorphoolithus kohringi
A fossil eggshell type identified by its distinctive microscopic structure.
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MMystriosaurus
Mystriosaurus laurillardi
A marine teleosauroid recognised from diagnostic Early Jurassic skulls.
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NNeosteneosaurus
Neosteneosaurus edwardsi
A large marine teleosauroid separated from the old Steneosaurus grouping.
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NNotosuchus
Notosuchus terrestris
A small Santonian notosuchian from Patagonia with differentiated teeth and evidence of tooth-to-tooth wear.
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PPabwehshi
Pabwehshi pakistanensis
A Maastrichtian Pakistani crocodyliform with an interlocking, serrated bite.
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PPaludirex
Paludirex vincenti
A large Australian crocodile recognised in 2020 from diagnostic skull material previously grouped with Pallimnarchus.
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PPelagosaurus
Pelagosaurus typus
An Early Jurassic thalattosuchian combining marine adaptations with retained armour and walking limbs.
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PPholidosaurus
Pholidosaurus
A European Early Cretaceous long-snouted neosuchian known from skulls and partial skeletons.
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PPhosphatosaurus
Phosphatosaurus gavialoides
A large North African dyrosaurid with a massive skull and robust, unequal teeth.
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PPiscogavialis
Piscogavialis
A Peruvian Miocene gavialoid known from skulls and new associated vertebral material.
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PProcaimanoidea
Procaimanoidea kayi; P. utahensis
Two Eocene crocodilians from Wyoming and Utah, known chiefly through skull comparisons.
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PProtosuchus
Protosuchus richardsoni
An Early Jurassic Arizona crocodyliform with long limbs, dorsal armour and several known partial skeletons.
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PPurussaurus
Purussaurus brasiliensis
A giant Miocene caiman of northern South America, known mainly from enormous skulls and feeding traces.
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QQuinkana
Quinkana fortirostrum
An Australian mekosuchine with serrated teeth and a probable land-adapted lifestyle, known mostly from skull material.
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RRhabdognathus
Rhabdognathus aslerensis; R. keiniensis
A West African dyrosaurid whose near-complete skull has revealed internal cranial anatomy through CT scanning.
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RRimasuchus
Rimasuchus lloydi
A large Egyptian Miocene crocodilian whose secure fossil range is narrower than many older accounts claimed.
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SSabresuchus
Sabresuchus ibericus; S. sympiestodon
A European neosuchian genus linking tooth fossils from Early Cretaceous Spain and a Late Cretaceous Romanian maxilla.
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SSacacosuchus
Sacacosuchus cordovai
A Late Miocene Peruvian gavialoid represented by skulls from juvenile to adult growth stages.
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SSarcosuchus
Sarcosuchus imperator
An enormous Early Cretaceous pholidosaur from North Africa, with a long muzzle and a bony rosette at the snout tip.
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SSebecus
Sebecus icaeorhinus
A Patagonian Eocene sebecid with serrated teeth and postcranial anatomy supporting terrestrial locomotion.
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SSeldsienean
Seldsienean megistorhynchus
A rare Bathonian teleosauroid with a neotype and an unresolved nomenclatural link to Steneosaurus.
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SShamosuchus
Shamosuchus djadochtaensis
A Mongolian Campanian paralligatorid known from an incomplete type skull and a more complete referred skeleton.
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SSimosuchus
Simosuchus clarki
A small Late Cretaceous Madagascan notosuchian with a blunt muzzle, leaf-shaped teeth and extensive armour.
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SSiquisiquesuchus
Siquisiquesuchus venezuelensis
An Early Miocene Venezuelan gavialoid known from a near-complete skull and a small sample of referred bones.
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SSteneosaurus
Steneosaurus rostromajor
A famous historical genus whose incomplete lectotype cannot diagnose one teleosauroid lineage.
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SSunosuchus
Sunosuchus spp.
An Asian neosuchian genus known from species and fragmentary occurrences of different ages and completeness.
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SSusisuchus
Susisuchus anatoceps; S. jaguaribensis
Small Early Cretaceous Brazilian crocodyliforms known from armour, partial skeletons and disputed palatal anatomy.
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SSutekhsuchus
Sutekhsuchus dowsoni
North African Miocene gavialine known chiefly from distinctive skull fossils and a revised 2024 classification.
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TTeleosaurus
Teleosaurus cadomensis
A Norman Middle Jurassic teleosauroid whose genus was narrowed to its diagnostic type species.
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TTerminonaris
Terminonaris robusta
Cretaceous North American pholidosaur known from skulls and a nearly complete skeleton nicknamed Big Bert.
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TTerrestrisuchus
Terrestrisuchus gracilis
A small, long-legged Late Triassic crocodylomorph from a fissure deposit in South Wales.
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TThalattosuchus
Thalattosuchus superciliosus
A fully marine Jurassic metriorhynchid whose generic name changed during revisions of Metriorhynchus.
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TThecachampsa
Thecachampsa sericodon; T. antiqua
Miocene North American gavialoids known from coastal formations and a taxonomically debated fossil sample.
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TTheriosuchus
Theriosuchus pusillus
Small Purbeck neosuchian with a three-dimensional type skull, varied teeth and a revised taxonomic scope.
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TThoracosaurus
Thoracosaurus
A longirostrine eusuchian from coastal Late Cretaceous and Paleocene deposits with a disputed relationship to gharials.
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TTorvoneustes
Torvoneustes spp.
Jurassic marine metriorhynchids with species-level variation in skull completeness and tooth form.
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TToyotamaphimeia
Toyotamaphimeia machikanensis
Large Japanese Pleistocene gavialoid represented by a nearly complete skeleton discovered at Osaka University.
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TTyrannoneustes
Tyrannoneustes lythrodectikos
A subadult Oxford Clay metriorhynchid with a deep jaw and inferred capacity for large prey.
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VVoay
Voay robustus
A large Holocene Madagascan crocodile with paired squamosal skull bosses and mitochondrial DNA evidence.
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