Wikipedia
The genus Dyrosaurus describes an extinct Crocodylomorpha form living from the upper Cretaceous to the Eocene period, surviving the K-T mass extinction or the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event. Dyrosaurus are linked to pholidosaurids as a clade are defined as slender-snouted, fish-eating specialists adapted to near-shore marine habitats.
Etymology: sauros Greek for lizard or reptile. Dyr: Djebel Dyr (mountain near discovery of fossils) D. maghribensis: From Maghrib, Morocco in Arabic language, referring to the distribution of this species, known up to now in Morocco only.
The Dyrosauridae family which encompasses the Dyrosaurus genus is known to be mostly marine, long jawed crocodile-like species up to 6 meters long. Based on bone tissue evidence, it has been hypothesized that the family Dyrosauridae were a slow-growing, near-shore marine animal that had interlocking closed jaws and were quadrupedal with the ability to swim as well as walk on land. It has external naris at the posterior end of its snout and an internal naris in its pterygoid indicative of the need for hunting while swimming with its top of its skull protruding from the water to breathe and see prey easily.
Fossils from this genus have been found in Africa, Europe, North and South America, Southern Asia and India. Although the family Dyrosauridae is quite diverse with many forms of crocodyliforms, the genus Dyrosaurus has only two described species: D. phosphaticus and D. maghribensis. D. phosphaticus was first discovered in Algeria and Tunsinia whereas D. maghribensis has only been found in Morocco. D. maghribensis differs from D. phosphaticus by several synapomorphies, most notably: a smooth dorsal margin of the parietal and widely opened choanae, interfenestral bar wide and strongly T shaped instead of moderately T shaped.