Teleosauridae

The teleosaurids were marine crocodyliforms similar to the modern gharial that lived from the Early Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous. They had long snouts, indicative of piscivory (fish eating) and were the closest relatives to the Metriorhynchidae, the Mesozoic crocodilians that returned to the sea and evolved paddle-like forelimbs and a shark-like tail. The family has a wide geographic distribution, with material found in Africa (Ethiopia, Madagascar and Morocco), Europe (England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia and Switzerland), North America (Oregon), South America (Argentina), India, China, and Thailand.