Eggs of “drop crocs” discovered
An international team led by the Miquel Crusafont Catalan Institute of Paleontology and the University of New South Wales has discovered the oldest crocodile eggshell fragments ever found on the continent. The fossils are estimated to be about 55 million years old. The findings were published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Kazinform News Agency reports.
The fossils were unearthed near the small town of Murgon — one of Australia’s oldest paleontological sites. Researchers determined that the eggs belonged to an extinct group of crocodiles known as Mekosuchines (Mekosuchinae), which once thrived in inland waterways long before modern saltwater and freshwater crocodiles appeared.
Scientists note that Mekosuchines occupied unusual ecological niches. Some species are thought to have lived on land and even climbed trees to ambush prey from above — earning them the informal nickname “drop crocs.”
Under a microscope, the eggshell revealed a complex structure suggesting that the nests were located on the shores of ancient lakes surrounded by dense tropical forests. During that time, the region was also home to early songbirds, snakes, frogs, and primitive marsupials.
Researchers believe that the discovery not only provides new insight into the lives of ancient reptiles but also underscores the importance of studying fossilized eggs to reconstruct the reproductive behavior of extinct species.
Earlier, it was reported that scientists had discovered a new species of marine predator, Xiphodracon goldencapensis, nicknamed the “Sword Dragon of Golden Cap.” The 190-million-year-old fossil, unearthed in southwest England, represents one of the most complete ichthyosaurs from the Early Jurassic period.