Taxonomy West African crocodile

skull of mummified specimen of c. suchus, 1870s

the species named Étienne geoffroy saint-hilaire in 1807, discovered differences between skulls of mummified crocodile , of nile crocodile (c. niloticus). new species was, however, long time afterwards regarded synonym of nile crocodile. in 2003, study indicated c. suchus valid species, , confirmed several other studies in 2011–2015. despite long history of confusion, genetic testing has revealed 2 not particularly close. closest relatives of nile crocodile crocodylus species americas, while west african crocodile basal clade of nile , american crocodiles.