Evolution of the Alligator

Evolution of the Crocodile

Xilousuchus

250,000,000 BC - 200,000,000 BC

Three feet long, 5-10 pounds. Lived in the swamps of modern day eastern Asia and ate small animals.
Split off into the modern crocodile and the dinosaurs.
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2011/10/xilousuchus-restoration.jpg

Phytosaur

228,000,000 BC - 199,000,000 BC

Extremely related to the crocodilian family. These were herbivorous.
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRgGpvU-T90I9hMaiUGfp_ZPgov7YjZ59krdUumNsuPcr60D8pyyw

Erpetosuchus

200,000,000 BC - 120,000,000 BC

Bipedal, and did not resemble the crocodile at all except for the shape of the head.
http://www.palaeocritti.com/_/rsrc/1265511132370/by-group/crocodylomorpha/erpetosuchus/Erpetosuchus_sk.jpg

American Alligator

150,000,000 BC - current

Lives in southeastern America. Usually lives for 35 to 50 years, and grows to a length of 10-15 feet during that time.
http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/004/cache/american-alligator_444_600x450.jpg

Sarcosuchus

110,000,000 BC - 100,000,000 BC

40 feet long and 10-15 tons. Ate dinosaurs and fish near the rivers of modern day Africa. Looked and behaved like the crocodile, but twice as long and 10 times as heavy. Informally known as the, "super-croc".
http://theevolutionstore.com/modules/store/images/products/sarcosuchus_imperator_supercroc_skull_ss1825_m5364.jpg

Stomatosuchus

100,000,000 BC - 95,000,000 BC

36 feet long and weighed roughly 10 tens. Oddly enough, it ate plankton and krill despite it huge pelican-like jaw.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/Stomatosuchus2.jpg/250px-Stomatosuchus2.jpg

Deinosuchus

80,000,000 BC - 70,000,000 BC

Lived in the rivers of modern day North America. Roughly 33 feet long and 10 tons, with a 6 foot long skull. Fed on fish, shellfish, and various land creatures. Fossils show that it attacked Tyrannosaurs.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8aV8yvweFEc/TMGybOMuFyI/AAAAAAAAADg/93js7ukiXJI/s1600/final.jpg

Champsosaurus

70,000,000 BC - 50,000,000 BC

Five feet long and 25-50 pounds, ate fish and lived in the rivers of modern day North America and western Europe. Survived the mass extinction in 65,000,000 BC along with many of its relatives.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/Champsosaurus_BW.jpg

Crocodylidae

55,000,000 BC - current

The modern day crocodile, which includes the saltwater, Nile, and American variants. They are spread throughout the world with various adaptations for specific climates and habitats.
http://palaeos.com/vertebrates/crocodilia/images/Crocodylidae1.gif

Quinkana

23,000,000 BC - 40,000 BC

9 feet long and 500 pounds. Had very long legs unlike the modern crocodile's short legs. The crocodile continuously gets smaller due to environmental changes.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1trrfD1Dkeo/Tc-Kch4NeUI/AAAAAAAAAxc/FSDHszXtGPs/s1600/31b4cf0f7cbc.jpg

Crocodylus Thorbjarnarsoni

4,200,000 BC - current

Very close relative of the modern day crocodile, large skull with a small raised rim in front of the eyes. Most likely hunted early human. Lived in the Turkana basin in Kenya and may be the largest known true crocodile.
http://galeri3.uludagsozluk.com/192/crocodylus-thorbjarnarsoni_261921.jpg

Major Events

Permian-Triassic Extinction

250,000,000 BC

Killed off 90% of life on Earth.
Largest mass extinction to ever.

Triassic-Jurassic Extinction

200,000,000 BC

Killed off 76% of life on Earth.
Killed the archosaurs with the exception of the crocodiles.

Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction

65,000,000 BC

Killed off 75% of life on Earth.

Holocene Extinction

10,000 BC

Mass extinction currently active. Primarily caused by humans.
May prove to be more devastating than the Cretaceous-Tertiary Extinction.

Hunted to Near Extinction

1950 AD - 1960 AD

Humans started hunting the American Alligator for its hides, almost went extinct.