Dyrosauridae

Dyrosauridae Temporal range: 83.5–47 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Campanian–Eocene
Skull of the dyrosaurid Arambourgisuchus khouribgaensis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Clade:	Archosauria
Clade:	Pseudosuchia
Clade:	Crocodylomorpha
Clade:	Crocodyliformes
Suborder:	†Tethysuchia
Family:	†Dyrosauridae de Stefano, 1903
Genera
†Anthracosuchus †Cerrejonisuchus †Chenanisuchus †Guarinisuchus †Rodeosuchus †Phosphatosaurinae †Phosphatosaurus †Sokotosuchus †Hyposaurinae †Acherontisuchus †Aigialosuchus †Arambourgisuchus †Atlantosuchus †Brachiosuchus †Congosaurus †Dorbignysuchus †Dyrosaurus †Hyposaurus †Luciasuchus †Rhabdognathus †Tilemsisuchus

Dyrosauridae is a family of extinct neosuchian crocodyliforms that lived from the Campanian to the Eocene. Dyrosaurid fossils are globally distributed, having been found in Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America. Over a dozen species are currently known, varying greatly in overall size and cranial shape. A majority were aquatic, some terrestrial and others fully marine (see locomotion below), with species inhabiting both freshwater and marine environments. Ocean-dwelling dyrosaurids were among the few marine reptiles to survive the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.

The dyrosaurids were a group of mostly marine, long jawed, crocodile-like quadrupeds up to 6 metres (20 ft) long.^[1] The largest dyrosaurid was probably Phosphatosaurus estimated at 9 m (30 ft) in length.^[2][3] Based on bone tissue evidence, it has been hypothesized that they were slow-growing^[4] near-shore marine animals with interlocking closed jaws,^[4] able to swim as well as walk on land. External nostrils at the posterior end of its snout and an internal naris in its pterygoid indicated a habit of hunting while swimming with the top of the head above the water, enabling it to breathe while stalking prey.^[1]