A team of Egyptian palaeontologists has discovered a new species of ancient crocodile in Egypt’s Western Desert that lived around 80 million years ago — a find that is reshaping scientists’ understanding of crocodile evolution.
The discovery, published in The Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, describes Wadisuchus kassabi, now recognised as the earliest known member of the extinct crocodile family Dyrosauridae — a lineage that thrived in coastal and marine environments rather than rivers and swamps like their modern relatives.
The fossils, unearthed near the Kharga and Baris oases, include two partial skulls and two snout tips representing four individuals at different growth stages, offering rare insight into how dyrosaurids developed. High-resolution CT scans and 3D surface modelling revealed previously unseen anatomical details.
Lead author Sara Saber, Assistant Lecturer at Assiut University and a member of the Mansoura University Vertebrate Palaeontology Centre, said Wadisuchus kassabi was a 3.5–4-metre-long crocodile-like reptile with a long snout and tall, sharp teeth.
“It differed from other dyrosaurids by having four teeth at the front of the snout instead of five, nostrils positioned on top for surface breathing, and a deep notch at the tip where the jaws met,” Saber explained. “These features show a gradual adaptation in the dyrosaurid bite and mark an important step in their evolutionary history.”
The discovery also strengthens evidence that Africa was the cradle of dyrosaurid evolution. Saber noted that the new species suggests the group’s diversification began earlier than previously believed — during the Early Coniacian–Santonian period (87–83 million years ago) rather than the Maastrichtian (72–66 million years ago).
The species’ name reflects both Egypt’s landscape and heritage: “Wadi” for the New Valley where it was found, “Suchus” after the ancient crocodile god Sobek, and “kassabi” in honour of Professor Ahmed Kassab of Assiut University, a pioneer of Egyptian palaeontology.
Researchers say the discovery highlights the Western Desert’s importance as a window into Earth’s ancient past — and a reminder that these fossil-rich landscapes must be preserved amid ongoing urban and agricultural expansion.
