Fossil crocodilian teeth are abundant in the fossil record! 🐊🦷
The interpretative model developed for Shungura can be adapted for other continental and tropical sites, enhancing our understanding of past climates and aquatic environments. 🌍🌦️🌿

We found that early on, crocodilians inhabited diverse water bodies, suggesting varied aquatic environments, but after ~2.3 Mya, diversity reduced, possibly due to increased aridity. ☀️Isotopic signal changes, suggesting potential monsoon shifts or decreased precipitation.

Why focus on crocodilians and oxygen isotopes? Crocs, sensitive to hydrological changes, are excellent indicators for assessing local freshwater diversity. Their teeth's oxygen isotopes reveal insights into water sources, precipitation, temperature, etc. the whole water cycle! 🐊💧

In Ethiopia's lower Omo River valley, the Plio-Pleistocene Shungura Formation records major hydrological shifts.🌊This study introduces a novel approach using stable oxygen isotopes in crocodilian teeth, unveiling details about aquatic environments and climate from 3 to 1 Mya. 🧐