Scientists have identified a previously undiscovered relative of the crocodile that lived around 170 million years ago. Named ctenosuchus tenuidens, its fossils were found in Morocco's Atlas Mountains by a team from the University of Portsmouth and Hassan II University of Casablanca.
The ancient reptile possessed a distinct long and narrow snout filled with needle-like teeth, a feature unlike its known relatives. Researchers suggest these delicate teeth indicate it hunted smaller, softer prey such as shrimp, worms, and tiny fish, distinguishing it from other long-snouted crocodiles.
Ctenosuchus tenuidens belonged to a group of marine and freshwater reptiles called thalattosuchians, which existed during the age of dinosaurs. The research contributes to understanding the diversity and ecology of ancient crocodile relatives in the southern supercontinent Gondwana and highlights how different prehistoric animals independently developed similar feeding adaptations.