Engraving of fossil crocodile

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Fossil crocodile. 18th century engraving depicting a fossil skeleton of a crocodile. This was discovered at Whitby, Yorkshire, in the alum shales in 1758 by Captain William Chapman. The specimen was later named Teleosaurus chapmanii Konig and was donated to the British Museum in London in 1781. More recently the fossil has been classified as Steneosaurus bollensis, originating in the Toarcian Age in the lower Jurassic Period of 183-175.6 million years ago. This illustration first appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1760.

Middle Temple Library / Science Source

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