Ristevski, Jorgo, Louys, Julien, O'Connor, Sue, Yates, Adam M., Husdell, Molly, Price, Gilbert J., Ulm, Sean, McNiven, Ian J., Salisbury, Steven W., and Boivin, Nicole (2026) The late Quaternary crocodylian record from Australasia. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 207 (1). zlag065.

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Abstract

In this study, we synthesize the known late Quaternary crocodylian record in Australasia through literature review and direct assessment of fossil and zooarchaeological material. The late Pleistocene record, mainly from Australia, consists of partial skeletal remains mostly referable to the extinct Mekosuchinae, with some attributable to Crocodylus. The youngest reliably dated mekosuchine fossil is ∼20 000 years old, suggesting mekosuchine decline and extinction coincided with that of other Australian megafauna. In contrast, three south-west Pacific islands—New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and Fiji—were Holocene refuges for mekosuchines, whose remains occur in archaeological contexts, indicating human interaction. Their extinction followed soon after human arrival, suggesting anthropogenic influence as a potential key factor. Crocodylus johnstoni occurs in palaeontological (potentially 28 kya) and archaeological sites in Australia. Crocodylus porosus has an ambiguous fossil record potentially going back over 40 kya, but is definitively present by the Holocene. Most Crocodylus remains come from coastal sites overlapping modern ranges. Archaeological evidence supports crocodile utilization by humans in Australia, Torres Strait, and New Guinea. The fragmentary nature of the known fossil material, as well as the current lack of reliable dates, leaves many unanswered questions about the morphology, palaeobiology, and disappearance of mekosuchines.

Item ID:	91930
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1096-3642
Keywords:	crocodile, Mekosuchinae, Oceania, Pleistocene, Holocene, extinctions
Copyright Information:	© The Author(s) 2026. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Linnean Society of London. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Funders:	Australian Research Council (ARC)
Projects and Grants:	ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures CE230100009
Date Deposited:	12 May 2026 23:37
FoR Codes:	37 EARTH SCIENCES > 3705 Geology > 370506 Palaeontology (incl. palynology) @ 50% 45 INDIGENOUS STUDIES > 4501 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, language and history > 450101 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander archaeology @ 50%
SEO Codes:	21 INDIGENOUS > 2104 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and culture > 210401 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artefacts @ 50% 13 CULTURE AND SOCIETY > 1307 Understanding past societies > 130703 Understanding Australia’s past @ 50%
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