Peruvian scientists find fossil of crocodile that died 10 million years ago

Paleontologists from the Peruvian Geological Mining and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET) have revealed a fossil of a young marine crocodile gavial that lived about 10 million years ago. About it on November 28 reports Peru21.

According to scientists, the crocodile belonged to the species Piscogavialis gaviales. Its remains, about three meters long, were discovered at the end of 2023 in perfect condition in the Peruvian desert of Ocucaque, 350 km south of the Peruvian capital Lima. The size of the reptile is not large, so paleontologists concluded that the gavial was not an adult.

"This is the first time we know of a young specimen of this species that was over 9 meters long as an adult," vertebrate paleontologist Mario Gamarra said.

According to him, the skull and jaws of these animals are not like those of modern crocodiles and alligators. Gamarra said that gavials have an elongated face and their diet consisted only of fish.

The Okukahkee Desert is reportedly rich in fossils, including remains of four-legged pygmy whales, dolphins, sharks and other species from the Miocene period (5 to 23 million years ago) that have been found there before.

Gamarra said the fossil will be presented at the institute's headquarters in December.

Earlier, on November 16, French auction houses Collin du Bocage and Barbarossa sold for more than €6 million (about 363.3 million rubles) a 22-meter-long specimen of an Apatosaurus skeleton in perfect condition.