Dyrosaurus

Dyrosaurus is an extinct genus of crocodyliform that lived during the Late Cretaceous and Paleocene epochs. Its fossils have been found in North Africa and Europe. Dyrosaurus was a medium-sized crocodyliform, reaching lengths of up to 6 meters. It possessed a long, slender snout, which suggests it may have been a piscivore, feeding primarily on fish.

The genus Dyrosaurus was first described in 1867 by Edward Drinker Cope based on fossil remains discovered in Egypt. The type species, Dyrosaurus phosphaticus, is the most well-known. Over time, other species have been assigned to the genus, although some are now considered dubious. The distribution of Dyrosaurus fossils indicates it inhabited coastal and estuarine environments.

Dyrosaurus belongs to the family Dyrosauridae, a group of crocodyliforms that survived the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event and persisted into the Eocene epoch. Dyrosaurids are characterized by their long snouts and often wide geographic distribution. The extinction of Dyrosaurus and its relatives remains a topic of scientific interest, with potential causes including changes in sea level and marine ecosystems.