Crocodilian evolutionary success linked to warm climate preference

New research published in Science Advances suggests that the long-term survival of crocodilians, including modern crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials, is due to their consistent preference for warm climates. By analyzing an evolutionary tree of over 400 species and more than 7,000 fossil records alongside modern geographic data, researchers found that these animals largely tracked suitable environments as they shifted geographically over 245 million years.

Rather than adapting to diverse new climatic conditions like dinosaurs or mammals, crocodilians maintained a stable climate niche. They expanded toward the poles during warmer periods and retreated toward the equator during cooler ones. This strategy may have played a critical role in their ability to survive major extinction events, including the asteroid strike 66 million years ago that caused the demise of non-avian dinosaurs.