Happy Croc Month!

Most living crocodilian species look pretty similar overall – that’s why there are so many tips for telling alligators from crocodiles – but one group really stands out with their bulging eyes and remarkably slender snouts. This episode, we explore the various features and habits that make gharials unique among crocs, and which have caused no end of confusion for scientists trying to sort out their evolutionary history. And, of course, we’ll take a trip into the fossil record to visit some of the most extraordinary long-snouted crocs of the distant past.

In the news: hagfish eyes, dinosaur arms, fungal spores, and fishing dinosaurs.

Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:06:45 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:40:30 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:09:35 Patron question: 02:12:00

With the help of our Patrons, we’ll be donating this year to: The Crocodile Research Coalition https://crocodileresearchcoalition.org/ Save the Snakes https://savethesnakes.org/ The Natural Resources Defense Council https://www.nrdc.org/

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

Got a topic you want to hear about? Submit your episode request here: https://commondescentpodcast.com/request-a-topic/

Lots more ways to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/common_descent

The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org

Musical Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Happy Croc Month!

In this bonus episode, we're joined by friend of the podcast Maddie Turala to talk about her research on estimating body size in fossil alligators!

This month only! Join the Crocs & Snakes Tier on our Patreon to receive a Croc Month sticker and to contribute to charitable donations toward reptile and other wildlife conservation! www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

This year, our donations are going toward: The Crocodile Research Coalition https://crocodileresearchcoalition.org/ Save the Snakes https://savethesnakes.org/ The Natural Resources Defense Council https://www.nrdc.org/

Lots more ways to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/common_descent

The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org

Cycads are cousins of conifers, and although they can be found throughout the modern tropics, they are often considered a visual indicator of prehistory. This episode, Aly joins us to explore what sets cycads apart from other plants, what we know of their deep history, and whether they truly deserve their reputation as dinosaur food.

In the news: toothless crocs, Arctic mammals, turtle relations, and crater life.

Time markers: Intro & Announcements: 00:00:00 News: 00:10:35 Main discussion, Part 1: 00:41:00 Main discussion, Part 2: 01:25:55 Patron question: 02:00:45

Check out our website for this episode’s blog post and more: http://commondescentpodcast.com/

Join us on Patreon to support the podcast and enjoy bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/commondescentpodcast

Got a topic you want to hear about? Submit your episode request here: https://commondescentpodcast.com/request-a-topic/

Lots more ways to connect with us: https://linktr.ee/common_descent

The Intro and Outro music is “On the Origin of Species” by Protodome. More music like this at http://ocremix.org

Musical Interludes are "Professor Umlaut" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0