Peru unveils 10-million-year-old juvenile crocodile fossil: Video
Peruvian scientists have unveiled the fossil of a 10-million-year-old crocodile in Lima.
The fossil is the first juvenile remains of the extinct Piscogavialis gharial crocodile ever found.
The remains were unearthed in southern Peru’s Ocucaje region by researchers.
According to Paleontologist Mario Gamarra, the juvenile specimen measures about three to four metres and belonged to a crocodile species that no longer exists in Peru.
“This animal is a juvenile, meaning it hasn't reached its maximum size yet,” he told the AFP.
The discovery is important for further studies of how the species grew and developed.
“It opens the door to ontogenetic studies, which examine the growth of the animal as it transitions from juvenile to adult,” Gamarra added.
The fossil will help scientists better understand the evolution of crocodiles and how they lived in ancient Peru millions of years ago.
