Ancient fossils reveal prehistoric marine life in Egypt

Researchers have identified new fossil evidence detailing the ancient marine ecosystems that once covered parts of modern-day Egypt.

A study published in Royal Society Open Science describes the discovery of Herugavialis cairensis, an extinct crocodilian that lived approximately 45 million years ago. The fossils were recovered from the Mokattam Formation, the same limestone deposit used to construct the Great Sphinx and the Giza pyramids. Using CT scans to analyze a nearly complete skull, scientists determined the animal belonged to a distinct genus, naming it after the Egyptian god Horus.

In a separate finding published in Cretaceous Research, paleontologists uncovered 14 fossilized shark teeth from the Abu-Tartur Plateau in Egypt’s Western Desert. Dating back to the Late Cretaceous Period, between 84 and 72 million years ago, these fossils represent at least five extinct shark species. The discovery from the Duwi Formation provides further evidence that the Sahara Desert was once a warm, shallow sea inhabited by diverse marine life.