Ancient eggshells shed new light on crocodiles that hunted prey from trees

A fragment of fossilized eggshell viewed under an electron microscope. Xavier Panadès

Scientists say they have unearthed Australia’s oldest known crocodile eggshells, a discovery that could shed light on ancient reptiles that may have hunted prey by dropping on them from trees.

The eggshells belonged to mekosuchine crocodiles, a prehistoric creature that dominated Australian waters 55 million years ago — a long time before the arrival of saltwater and freshwater crocs on the continent around 3.8 million years ago.

Paleontologist Michael Archer said mekosuchine crocodiles could grow to at least 5 meters (around 16 feet) long, and some hunted from trees. Australian researchers have dubbed them “drop crocs,” a reference to the feared “drop bear” — the vicious, carnivorous cousin of the c