Editing Crocodile (section)

===Phylogeny===
Recent molecular studies using [[DNA sequencing]] have shown crocodiles to be more closely related to the [[gavialid]]s rather than to [[alligator]]s, contrary to prior theories based on [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] studies alone.<ref name="Harshman2003">{{cite journal |pmid=12775527 |year=2003 |last1=Harshman |first1=J. |title=True and false gharials: A nuclear gene phylogeny of crocodylia |journal=Systematic Biology |volume=52|issue=3|pages=386–402|last2=Huddleston|first2=C. J. |last3=Bollback |first3=J. P. |last4=Parsons|first4=T. J.|last5=Braun|first5=M. J.|doi=10.1080/10635150309323 |url=http://si-pddr.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/6275/2003C_Harshman_et_al.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://si-pddr.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/6275/2003C_Harshman_et_al.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Gatesy2008">{{cite journal|last1=Gatesy |first1=J. |last2=Amato |first2=G. |year=2008 |title=The rapid accumulation of consistent molecular support for intergeneric crocodylian relationships |journal=[[Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution]]|volume=48 |issue=3 |pages=1232–1237 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2008.02.009|pmid=18372192|bibcode=2008MolPE..48.1232G }}</ref><ref name=bite>{{cite journal| author=Erickson, G. M.| author2=Gignac, P. M.| author3=Steppan, S. J.| author4=Lappin, A. K.| author5=Vliet, K. A.| author6=Brueggen, J. A.| author7=Inouye, B. D.| author8=Kledzik, D.| author9=Webb, G. J. W. | year=2012 | title=Insights into the ecology and evolutionary success of crocodilians revealed through bite-force and tooth-pressure experimentation | journal=PLOS ONE | volume=7 |issue=3 |page=e31781 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0031781|editor1-last=Claessens|editor1-first=Leon|bibcode = 2012PLoSO...731781E | pmid=22431965 | pmc=3303775| doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="LeeYates2018">{{cite journal | author=Michael S. Y. Lee |author2=Adam M. Yates |date=27 June 2018 |title=Tip-dating and homoplasy: reconciling the shallow molecular divergences of modern gharials with their long fossil |journal=[[Proceedings of the Royal Society B]] |volume=285 |issue=1881 |doi=10.1098/rspb.2018.1071 |pmid=30051855 |pmc=6030529 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Hekkala2021"/>

Below is a [[cladogram]] showing the relationships of the major [[extant taxon|extant]] crocodile groups based on molecular studies, excluding separate extinct taxa:
{{clade| style=font-size:85%;line-height:85%
|label1='''[[Crocodilia]]'''
|1={{clade
   |label1=[[Alligatoridae]]
   |1={{clade
      |label1=[[Caimaninae]]
        |1={{clade
           |1={{clade
              |1=''[[Caiman (genus)|Caiman]]'' [[File:Caiman crocodilus llanos white background.JPG|90 px]]
              |2=''[[Melanosuchus]]'' [[File:Melanosuchus niger white background.jpg|120 px]] }}
           |2=''[[Paleosuchus]]'' [[File:Dwarf Caiman white background.jpg|90 px]] }}
      |label2=[[Alligatorinae]]
        |2=''[[Alligator]]'' [[File:Alligator white background.jpg|100 px]] }}
   |label2=[[Longirostres]]
   |2={{clade
   |label1='''Crocodylidae'''
   |1={{clade
      |1=''[[Crocodylus]]'' [[File:Siamese Crocodile white background.jpg|90 px]]
      |2={{clade
         |1=''[[Mecistops]]'' [[File:Crocodylus cataphractus faux-gavial d'Afrique2 white background.JPG|90 px]]
         |2=''[[Osteolaemus]]'' [[File:Bristol.zoo.westafrican.dwarf.croc.arp. white background.jpg|90 px]] }} }}
   |label2=[[Gavialidae]]
   |2={{clade
      |1=''[[Gavialis]]'' [[File:Gavialis gangeticus (Gharial, Gavial) white background.jpg|110 px]]
      |2=''[[Tomistoma]]'' [[File:Tomistoma schlegelii. white background.JPG|90 px]]
}} }} }} }}

Below is a more detailed cladogram of Crocodylidae, based on a 2021 study using [[paleogenomics]] that extracted DNA from the extinct ''[[Voay]]''.<ref name="Hekkala2021"/>
{{clade| style=font-size:85%;line-height:85%
|label1='''Crocodylidae'''
|sublabel1=([[crown group]])
|1={{clade
 |label1=[[Osteolaeminae]]
 |1={{clade
  |1={{clade
   |1=''Mecistops cataphractus'' [[West African slender-snouted crocodile]]
   |2=''[[Euthecodon]]''{{extinct}} }}
  |2={{clade
   |1=''[[Brochuchus]]''{{extinct}}
   |2={{clade
    |1=''[[Rimasuchus]]''{{extinct}}
    |2={{clade
     |1=''Osteolaemus osborni'' [[Osborn's dwarf crocodile]]
     |2=''Osteolaemus tetraspis'' [[Dwarf crocodile]] }} }} }} }}
 |label2=[[Crocodylinae]]
 |2={{clade
  |1=''[[Voay]]''{{extinct}}
  |label2=''[[Crocodylus]]''
  |2={{clade
   |1={{clade
    |1={{clade
     |1=''[[Crocodylus anthropophagus]]''{{extinct}}
     |2=''[[Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni]]''{{extinct}} }}
    |2={{clade
     |1=''[[Crocodylus palaeindicus]]''{{extinct}}
     |2=''Crocodylus'' Tirari Desert{{extinct}} }} }}
   |2={{clade
    |1={{clade
     |1={{clade
      |1=''Crocodylus johnstoni'' [[Freshwater crocodile]]
      |2={{clade
       |1=''Crocodylus novaeguineae'' [[New Guinea crocodile]]
       |2=''Crocodylus mindorensis'' [[Philippine crocodile]] }} }}
     |2={{clade
      |1=''Crocodylus porosus'' [[Saltwater crocodile]]
      |2={{clade
       |1=''Crocodylus siamensis'' [[Siamese crocodile]]
       |2=''Crocodylus palustris'' [[Mugger crocodile]] }} }} }}
    |2={{clade
     |1={{clade
      |1=''[[Crocodylus checchiai]]''{{extinct}}
      |2=''[[Crocodylus falconensis]]''{{extinct}} }}
     |2={{clade
      |1=''Crocodylus suchus'' [[West African crocodile]]
      |2={{clade
       |1=''Crocodylus niloticus'' [[Nile crocodile]]
       |2={{clade
        |1={{clade
         |1=''Crocodylus moreletii'' [[Morelet's crocodile]]
         |2=''Crocodylus rhombifer'' [[Cuban crocodile]] }}
        |2={{clade
         |1=''Crocodylus intermedius'' [[Orinoco crocodile]]
         |2=''Crocodylus acutus'' [[American crocodile]] }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}

Alternatively, some [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] studies have recovered ''[[Mecistops]]'' as a [[basal (phylogeny)|basal]] member of [[Crocodylinae]], more closely related to ''[[Crocodylus]]'' than to ''[[Osteolaemus]]'' and the other members of [[Osteolaeminae]],<ref name="Rio2021"/><ref name="Azzara2021">{{cite journal |last1=Azarra |first1=Beatrice |last2=Boschian |first2=Giovanni |last3=Brochu |first3=Christopher |last4=Delfino |first4=Massimo |last5=Iurino |first5=Dawid Adam |last6=Kimambo |first6=Jackson Stanley |last7=Manzi |first7=Giorgio |last8=Masao |first8=Fidelis T. |last9=Menconero |first9=Sofia |last10=Njau |first10=Jackson K |last11=Cherin |first11=Marco |year=2021 |title=A new cranium of Crocodylus anthropophagus from Olduvai Gorge, northern Tanzania |journal=Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia (Research in Paleontology and Stratigraphy) |volume=127 |issue=2 |pages=275–295 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352560805 |doi=10.13130/2039-4942/15771 |s2cid=237962496 }}</ref> as shown in the cladogram below.<ref name="Azzara2021"/>
{{clade| style=font-size:85%;line-height:85%
|grouplabel1={{clade labels |width=10em; |label1='''Paleoafrican ''Crocodylus''''' |top1=40% |color1=red |label2='''Neotropical ''Crocodylus''''' |top2=60% |color2=black |style2=background-color:#ffffee; |label3='''Indo-Pacific ''Crocodylus''''' |top3=85% |color3=green}}
 |label1='''Crocodylidae'''
 |1={{clade
  |label1='''[[Osteolaeminae]]'''
  |1={{clade
   |1=''[[Rimasuchus lloydi]]''{{extinct}}
   |2={{clade
    |1=''[[Voay robustus]]''{{extinct}}
    |2={{clade
     |1=''Osteolaemus osborni'' [[Osborn's dwarf crocodile]]
     |2=''Osteolaemus tetraspis'' [[Dwarf crocodile]] }} }}
   |3={{clade
    |1=''[["Crocodylus" gariepensis]]''{{extinct}}
    |2={{clade
     |1={{clade
      |1=''[[Brochuchus parvidens]]''{{extinct}}
      |2=''[[Brochuchus pigotti]]''{{extinct}} }}
     |2={{clade
      |1=''[[Euthecodon arambourgi]]''{{extinct}}
      |2=''[[Euthecodon brumpti]]''{{extinct}} }} }} }} }}
  |label2='''[[Crocodylinae]]'''
  |2={{clade
   |1='''''Mecistops''' cataphractus'' [[West African slender-snouted crocodile]]
   |2={{clade
    |style1=background-color:#ffdddd;
    |1={{clade
     |1=''[[Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni]]''{{extinct}} |barbegin1=red
     |2=''[[Crocodylus anthropophagus]]''{{extinct}} |barend2=red }}
    |2={{clade
     |1=''Crocodylus niloticus'' [[Nile crocodile]]
     |2={{clade
      |1=''[[Crocodylus checchiai]]''{{extinct}}
      |style2=background-color:#ffffee;
      |2=''Crocodylus moreletii'' [[Morelet's crocodile]] |barbegin2=yellow
      |style3=background-color:#ffffee;
      |3=''Crocodylus intermedius'' [[Orinoco crocodile]] |bar3=yellow
      |style4=background-color:#ffffee;
      |4=''Crocodylus acutus'' [[American crocodile]] |bar4=yellow
      |style5=background-color:#ffffee;
      |5=''Crocodylus rhombifer'' [[Cuban crocodile]] |barend5=yellow }}
     |style3=background-color:#ddffdd;
     |3=''[[Crocodylus palaeindicus]]''{{extinct}} |barbegin3=lightgreen |barend3=lightgreen
     |style4=background-color:#ccffcc;
     |4={{clade
      |1=''Crocodylus palustris'' [[Mugger crocodile]] |barbegin1=green
      |2={{clade
       |1={{clade
        |1=''[[Crocodylus ossifragus]]''{{extinct}} |bar1=green
        |2=''Crocodylus siamensis'' [[Siamese crocodile]] |bar2=green }}
       |2={{clade
        |1=''Crocodylus mindorensis'' [[Philippine crocodile]] |bar1=green
        |2=''Crocodylus johnstoni'' [[Freshwater crocodile]] |bar2=green
        |3=''Crocodylus porosus'' [[Saltwater crocodile]] |bar3=green
        |4={{clade
         |1=''Crocodylus raninus'' [[Borneo crocodile]] |bar1=green
         |2=''Crocodylus novaeguineae'' [[New Guinea crocodile]] &nbsp;|barend2=green }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }}