Earliest long-snouted fossil crocodile from Egypt reveals the African origins of seagoing crocs

In Egypt's Western Desert, where red sandstones and green shales rise above the arid plains of the Kharga Oasis, paleontologists have discovered a fossil that fundamentally changes our understanding of crocodile evolution.

New discovery published in the journal Zoological Journal of the Linnean Societywas led by a group of Egyptian paleontologists. The newly described species, Wadisuchus kassabi, lived about 80 million years ago and is now recognized as the earliest known member of the Dyrosauridae, a group of ancient crocodiles that were markedly different from their modern relatives.

Unlike modern crocodiles, dyrosaurids flourished in coastal and marine environmentequipped with an elongated snout and thin, needle-sharp teeth, ideal for capturing slippery prey such as fish and turtles. Their remarkable survival and expansion after the extinction of the dinosaurs makes them crucial to understanding how reptiles adapted and diversified when global ecosystems collapsed.

The name Wadisuchus kassabi combines the landscape and heritage of Egypt: Wadi (“وادي”, Arabic for “valley”) for the New Valley where it was discovered, and Sukhus for the ancient crocodile god Sebek. This species also honors Professor Ahmed Kassab (Assiut University), whose work in Egyptian paleontology continues to inspire new generations.

Professor Hesham Sallam, Egyptian vertebrate palaeontologist at Mansoura University and senior author of the study, said: “Fossils of Wadisuchus kassabi were excavated near the Kharga and Baris oases in Egypt's Western Desert. They include two skull parts and two snout tips, representing four individuals at different stages of growth, providing rare insight into how dirosaurids evolved.”

Sallam added: “High-resolution computed tomography and 3D surface models allowed us to reveal unprecedented anatomical detail.”

Sarah Saber, Associate Professor at Assiut University, a member of the Sallam laboratory team at MUVP and lead author of the study, said: “Wadisuchus kassabi is a 3.5-4 meter long crocodile-like reptile with a very long snout and tall, sharp teeth.

“It differed from other dyrosaurids in that it had four teeth at the front of the snout instead of the primitive five, nostrils located at the top of the snout for shallow breathing, and a deep notch at the tip of the snout where the jaws meet. These features show a gradual adaptation of the dyrosaurid bite, marking an important step in their development. evolutionary history“

Saber added: “Beyond the distinctive features of Wadisuchus, it plays a critical role in understanding the origins of the dyrosaurid group. The new species refutes evidence for an African origin for the Dyrosauridae and suggests that their diversification began earlier than previously thought—perhaps in the early Coniacian-Santonian (about 87–83 million years ago) rather than the traditionally assumed Maastrichtian (about 72–66 million years ago). many years ago).”

Belal Salem, Ph.D. Ohio University student, member of Sallam's lab, Curator of Fossil Reptiles and Birds at MUVP and faculty member at Benha University, said: “This discovery indicates that Africa was the cradle of dyrosaurid evolution, from which later lineages spread across the globe, and our phylogenetic analysis consistently places Wadisuchus as the ancestor of the group dyrosaurids.”

Salem continued: “The significance of Wadisuh lies not only in the fact that it reveals the evolutionary history of this remarkable group of crocodiles (although that is a major achievement), but also in what it reminds us: Egypt's Western Desert still holds treasures that hold the secrets of our planet's deep past.

“Our mission is not only to discover these fossils, but also to protect fossil-rich sites from urban expansion and agricultural encroachment. They are a legacy for future generations of Egyptians.”