Jurassic fossils reveal a new long muzzle crocodile

After nearly 250 years of excavation, scientists have finally identified the identity of the fossilized crocodile skeleton in Bavaria.

Mayor Johann Friedrich Bauder first discovered a 180 million year old crocodile skull inside a quarry in Bavaria, southern Germany in the 1770s. However, paleontologists have recently identified Fossils belong to an ancient previously unknown saltwater crocodile.

Graphic simulating a species of Mystriosaurus laurillardi.(Photo: UPI).

The new species, Mystriosaurus laurillardi, is more than 4 meters long. They are coastal predators, possessing a long snout with lots of pointed teeth, mainly eating fish and small sized animals. Like modern saltwater crocodiles, M. laurillardi has the ability to swim from island to island to lay eggs. They also regularly sunbathe on the sand to warm their bodies.

Previously, M. laurillardi was misclassified into the genus Steneosaurus by the similarity in the shape of the skull. After years of excavation, with a more complete fossil record, the new team was able to accurately identify the species by analyzing phylogenetic - research on evolutionary history, development and Relationships between biological groups.

"Unraveling complex fossils like Mystriosaurus is essential if we want to understand the diversity of crocodiles in the Jurassic," said researcher Mark Young from the University of Edinburgh. "The increase in biodiversity between 200 and 180 million years ago is still unknown."

The research, led by scientists from Edinburgh University, led by fossil consultant Sven Sachs, was published this week in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica . The project is supported by the Palaeontographic Association, the Leverhulme Trust Foundation and the Canadian Council for Engineering and Natural Sciences Research.

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