A fossilized crocodile unearthed nearly a century ago in Egypt’s Mokattam Formation has finally been identified as a unique, previously unknown genus. Scientists have named the creature Herugavialis cairensis, a long-snouted predator that inhabited the warm, shallow seas covering northern Egypt approximately 45 million years ago. Interestingly, the specimen was found in the same limestone geological layer used to build the Great Sphinx of Giza. Adding to the intrigue, both the fossilized skull and the iconic Sphinx share a striking physical characteristic: they are both missing the tip of their noses.

Researchers, including an international team from Egypt, the UK, Sweden, and Germany, utilized modern CT scanning technology to re-examine the century-old skull, which had long been misclassified as a member of the Tomistoma genus. The high-tech analysis revealed distinct anatomical differences, confirming that the creature was a unique gavial. The name Herugavialis was chosen to honor Horus—the ancient Egyptian god frequently associated with the Sphinx—while the discovery itself highlights a time when Egypt’s landscape was a vibrant marine environment teeming with diverse crocodilian species, long before the region’s climate shifted and the Mediterranean dried up millions of years later.