Taxonomy
The Genus, generic name, ''Crocodylus'', was proposed by Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in 1768. ''Crocodylus'' contains 13–14 extant taxon, extant (living) species and 5 extinct species. There are additional extinct species attributed to the genus ''Crocodylus'' that studies have shown no longer belong, although they have not yet been reassigned to new Genus, genera.Extant species
The 13–14 living species are:Fossils
''Crocodylus'' also includes five extinct species: * † ''Crocodylus anthropophagus'' is an extinct crocodile from Plio-Pleistocene of Tanzania. * † ''Crocodylus checchiai'' is an extinct crocodile from Late Miocene of Kenya. * † ''Crocodylus falconensis'' is an extinct crocodile from Early Pliocene of Venezuela. * † ''Crocodylus palaeindicus'' is an extinct crocodile the Miocene to the Pleistocene of southern Asia. * † ''Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni'' is an extinct crocodile from Plio-Pleistocene of Kenya.Evolution
''Crocodylus'' likely originated in Africa and radiated outwards towards Southeast Asia and the Americas, although an Australia/Asia origin has also been considered. Phylogenetic evidence supports ''Crocodylus'' diverging from its closest recent relative, the extinct ''Voay'' of Madagascar, around 25 million years ago, near the Oligocene/Miocene boundary.Phylogeny
A 2018 tip dating study by Lee & Yates simultaneously using morphology (biology), morphological, molecular (DNA sequencing), and stratigraphic (fossil age) data established the inter-relationships within Crocodylidae. In 2021, Hekkala ''et al.'' were able to use paleogenomics, extracting DNA from the extinct ''Voay'', to better establish the relationships within Crocodylidae, including the subfamilies Crocodylinae and Osteolaeminae. The below cladogram shows the results of the latest study:References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q309495 Crocodylidae Extant Miocene first appearances Reptile genera Taxa named by Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti