When Crocs Ruled — Photo Gallery — National Geographic Magazine

Current Issue November 2009
Table of Contents »

- ADVERTISEMENT -

When Crocs Ruled

The reptiles were once on top of the world. Why did they fall?

/2009/11/crocs/img/01-nile-crocodile-714.jpg /2009/11/crocs/img/crocs-60-01.jpg Photograph by Bruno Calendini, Biosphoto /2009/11/crocs/img/02-croc-forerunner-714.jpg /2009/11/crocs/img/crocs-60-02.jpg Photograph by Ira Block; 16-foot replica skeleton photographed at Petrified Forest National Park Desmatosuchus inhabited low-lying floodplains in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in the late Triassic. Its bony plates, or osteoderms, are also found in living crocodilians.]]> /2009/11/crocs/img/03-croc-tail-714.jpg /2009/11/crocs/img/crocs-60-03.jpg Photograph by Olivier Born, Biosphoto /2009/11/crocs/img/04-powerful-legs-714.jpg /2009/11/crocs/img/crocs-60-04.jpg Photograph by Olivier Born, Biosphoto /2009/11/crocs/img/05-armed-alligators-714.jpg /2009/11/crocs/img/crocs-60-05.jpg Photograph by Tyrone Turner /2009/11/crocs/img/06-captured-croc-714.jpg /2009/11/crocs/img/crocs-60-06.jpg Photograph by Frans Lemmens, Peter Arnold, Inc. Croc World Living crocodilians, which include two species of alligators, six kinds of caimans, 14 types of crocodiles, and the lone species of gharial, all reside within 2,600 miles of the Equator, though their ancestors ranged nearly from Pole to Pole. Some species, such as the American alligator and Nile crocodile, are thriving, but many others are declining as humans expand into croc habitat. Some, such as the African dwarf crocodile (above), are hunted for their meat. A few species, notably the gharial, may go extinct within a decade in the wild.]]> /2009/11/crocs/img/07-powerful-jaw-714.jpg /2009/11/crocs/img/crocs-60-07.jpg Photograph by Mike Hettwer Boarcroc This 20-foot-long meat-eater—its prey likely included dinosaurs—had an armored snout it could use for ramming and three sets of fangs for slicing. Eye sockets turned forward enhanced stereoscopic vision to aid in hunting; large, well-developed muscles gave the jaw extra biting power.]]>