Crocodile

Maroccosuchus zennaroi Jonet & Wouters, 1977 from the Ypresian of the Oulad Abdoun Basin (Morocco) is described in detail based on numerous and well-preserved specimens. A phylogenetic analysis including 64 ingroup taxa and 238 characters reveals that M. zennaroi is the basalmost tomistomine. This clade is supported by 10 unambiguous synapomorphies, while only two – both related to the snout shape and observed in gavialoids – support a closer relationship between Kentisuchus spenceri and later tomistomines. Their absence in M. zennaroi could reflect its intermediate morphology between basal crocodyloids and longirostrine tomistomines. This clearly indicates a Lower Eocene, and no older than Late Palaeocene age for the tomistomine emergence, questioning the Late Eocene, Oligocene and Miocene ages proposed for Gavialis–Tomistoma divergence by molecular analyses. Considering this analysis, the biogeographical history of the tomistomines is evaluated. This history begins in western Tethys during the Lower Eocene or latest Palaeocene, with M. zennaroi followed by several West European tomistomines. The Tethys becomes the centre of dispersal to North America, Africa and Asia. The phylogenetic analysis also suggests at least two independent dispersals from the Tethyan area to Asia, with the extant Tomistoma schlegelii more closely related to European Miocene forms in the first instance, and Toyotamaphimeya machikanense and Penghusuchus pani more closely related to the North American Thecachampsa in the second instance. However, the small number of remains from the Oligocene and Late Eocene does not allow a clear date of divergence and dispersal routes to be ascertained.

During the Neogene, northern South America maintained a very diverse reptilian fauna. Especially crocodyliforms were diverse, with almost 30 species and a disparity of morphotypes greater than that seen in any other crocodylian fauna, extant or otherwise. Our knowledge of the impressive Neotropical South American Cenozoic record of reptiles is based largely on three units: the Middle Miocene Honda Group of Colombia and the Upper Miocene Solimões and Urumaco Formations, respectively of Brazil and Venezuela. Additional insight into the Neotropical reptilian fossil record derives from several smaller or lesser-known Upper Oligocene to Lower Pliocene deposits in several countries on the continent. In this chapter we review turtle and crocodyliform faunas found in these deposits. The Miocene development of the faunas in Amazonia corresponds to a shift from lake-dominated to fluvial-dominated ecosystems in the Late Miocene. They also show that full marine conditions at the time were limited to coastal areas around the continent and apparently did not extend into the contintent’s interior.

focused on the jaguar, the serpent and the birds have been greatly favored by researchers. Crocodiles instead have hardly been paid any attention, notwithstanding the repeated occurrence of significant representations throughout Mesoamerica since the Preclassic times to our days. Currently, some masks have begun to be identified as crocodiles, while earlier they had been identified as jaguars. Crocodiles played an important role in some aspects of the Mesoamerican ideology. They were primarily associated with fertility, as they were responsible for the timely arrival of rains and the fertility of the soil. Possibly, such was the great power of the crocodile. Later, they were associated with the elite, as they legitimized power among several Maya groups; according to Eric Thompson, Itzam Na was a god of the nobility. At the archaeological site of El Tigre, Campeche, Mexico (Figure 1), some masks were found in ceremonial contexts integrated to pyramid temples, which indicate some reli...

The paper is about the first record of crocodile Crocodylus palustrius (Lesson, 1831) from river Kadavi at Sarud, Tal-Shahuwadi. Dist-Kolhapur, M. S., India. This is the first record of the order Crocodilia and genus Crocodylus for River Kadavi and western Maharashtra. In the month of February 2007, one crocodile was observed basking on left bank of river Kadavi near village Sarud of Kolhapur district. In May 2007, nesting of crocodile was also observed on the same place. We have used ground survey method to identify new potential habitat of the animal and to examine the distribution and presence of the species. Field observations indicated that the crocodile is present in river Kadavi-the tributary of river Warana which is the major tributary of river Krishna. River Krishna is a main river of Deccan plateau running from Sahyadri ranges of Maharashtra to Bay of Bengal in east direction. Besides, the presence of crocodile in river Kadavi their movements were observed in river Warana also. Still no any record is available, which confirms the presence of this crocodilian species in river Kadavi and Warana and based on this evidenced study, one more reptilian species – crocodile Crocodylus palustrius can be added to the list of reptilian fauna of these rivers as well as that of Kolhapur district. This new record of crocodile's presence in the river Kadavi and Warana requires further investigations.

Croc attacks are not a major problem at national or provincial level in most countries, so funds and resources to mitigate them are scarce. However, for victims, attacks can be devastating. People may be killed or disabled, bringing grief, fear and - in rural areas - poverty, to victims, their families and communities. Crocodiles may be killed in retaliation. Wildlife conservation authorities and local people may have serious disagreements about how to respond to such attacks. This guide aims to help reduce these problems.

The guide includes information on the wider context of croc attacks in Africa, when and where attacks occur in the region, victim profiles, information on crocodiles involved in attacks, case studies, information on the biology and behaviour of Nile crocodiles, advice on how not to get bitten, what to do if you are bitten, how you can help prevent attacks, and an attack report form.

Printed, colour copies will be distributed free in the region, as will this pdf. Please contact me on croc.conservation@gmail.com with any queries or requests regarding use of this guide. I have made a pdf available here but it is large - 8mb at low res. I can send it to you in 2 parts of 5mb and 4mb on request.

Please cite as: Simon Pooley, How not to get eaten by a crocodile: in South Africa or Swaziland (London: Croc.Conservation, 2015).

This guide is licensed with a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

This infographics in this guide were developed with funding from an ESRC / Imperial College London Impact Acceleration Grant to Dr Simon Pooley, based at ICCS, at Imperial College London. They can be viewed as interactive infographics on the CrocBITE website ( http://www.crocodile-attack.info/).

I am working with Dr Adam Britton (RIEL, Charles Darwin University) and Brandon Sideleau on a worldwide database on croc attacks.

The aim of this study was to determine concentrations of heavy metals (cadmium [Cd] and mercury [Hg]) and metallothioneins (MTs) in blood plasma and caudal scutes of Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) from Rio Hondo, a river and natural border between Mexico and Belize. Three transects of the river (approximately 20 km each) were surveyed in September 2012 and April 2013, and samples were collected from 24 crocodiles from these areas. In blood plasma, Cd (7.6 ± 9.6 ng/ml) was detected in 69 % of samples (n = 9); Hg (12.2 ± 9.2 ng/ml) was detected in 46 % of samples (n = 6); and MTs (10,900 ± 9,400 ng/ml) were detected in 92 % of samples (n = 12). In caudal scutes samples, Cd (31.7 ± 39.4 ng/g) was detected in 84 % of samples (n = 12) and Hg (374.1 ± 429.4 ng/g) in 83 % of samples (n = 20). No MTs were detected in caudal scutes. Hg concentrations in scutes from the Rio Hondo were 2- to 5-fold greater than those previously reported in scutes from other localities in northe...

Predation on eggs is an important source of mortality for many long-lived organisms, but causes of egg mortality from specific predators remain poorly known in most cases. Understanding the identity of predators, and the rates and determinants of their effects on a cohort of recruits, can provide a valuable background for attempts to exploit, control or conserve populations. We used remotely triggered cameras to study predation on the nests of freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) inhabiting Lake Argyle, in tropical Australia. We also supplemented our work on natural crocodile nests with artificial nests. Overall, 80 of 111 natural nests were opened by predators, and predation occurred throughout the study period (7 weeks). Unlike in other parts of the species’ range, most nest-robbers were dingoes (Canis lupus dingo, responsible for 98% of all predator visits in the northern sites, and 54% in the Ord River site), with minimal additional predation by reptiles and birds. Contrary to expectation, rates of nest predation were not influenced by spatial clumping of nests: the probability of predation per nest did not change with total numbers of nests laid in an area, and artificially aggregated versus dispersed nests experienced similar levels of predation. Nest vulnerability was linked to abiotic features including slope of surrounding banks, compactness of nesting substrate, and distance from the nearest forest. Abundant aquatic food resources support a large crocodile population, but a lack of suitable nest-sites forces the crocodiles to concentrate nesting in small areas readily accessible to wide-ranging nest predators. Collectively, our results suggest that distinctive attributes of the lakeside landscape alter predator guilds and fashion unique predator–prey interactions.