Scientists have unearthed Australia's oldest known crocodile eggshells which may have belonged to 'drop crocs'—creatures that climbed trees to hunt prey below.
The discovery of the 55-million-year-old eggshells was made in a sheep farmer's backyard in Queensland, with findings published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
The eggshells belonged to a long-extinct group of crocodiles known as mekosuchines, who lived in inland waters when Australia was part of Antarctica and South America.
Co-author Prof Michael Archer described 'drop crocs' as a 'bizarre idea', suggesting they might have hunted similar to leopards, dropping down onto unsuspecting prey.
Prof Archer, a palaeontologist at the University of New South Wales, stated that mekosuchine crocodiles—capable of growing up to five metres—were abundant 55 million years ago, predating their modern relatives.
Although the eggshells were found decades ago, they were recently analyzed with help from Spanish scientists. The research indicates some of these prehistoric reptiles were likely terrestrial hunters.
Excavations at a clay pit in Murgon, a small town in Queensland, have revealed many ancient animals and environments over the years, showcasing one of Australia’s most significant fossil sites.
Prof Archer recounts how a simple inquiry led him and a colleague to start digging in a backyard, resulting in discoveries that continued to reveal new species and insights into ancient ecosystems.
