About this episode

This episode explores the unique features and evolutionary history of gharials, along with recent news in paleontology.

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: 00:00:00News: 00:06:45Main discussion, Part 1: 00:40:30Main discussion, Part 2: 01:09:35Patron 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…

Sponsors

Crocodile Research Coalition, Save the Snakes, Natural Resources Defense Council

More episodes of The Common Descent Podcast

• Episode 248 - Big Cats · July 18, 2026 · 2h 56m
• Snake Stuff with Ali Ashraf · July 16, 2026 · 57 min
• Episode 247 – Vipers · July 4, 2026 · 3h 16m
• Croc Chat with Maddie Turala · June 17, 2026 · 57 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Common Descent Podcast podcast page.