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Crocodiles swam to North America?

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File:Crocnest.JPG
Everglades/Catholic85

This charming tale, “Crocodiles swam the Atlantic to reach America” should be true, but some are undecided.

Michael Marshall explains for New Scientist (11 May 2011), “Millions of years before Vikings crossed the Atlantic, crocodiles swam thousands of kilometres from Africa to colonise the Americas,”

… all four American species are most closely related to the Nile crocodiles of east Africa, and must have split away roughly 7 million years ago, long after Africa and South America began drifting apart 130 million years ago. By 7 million years ago, over 2800 kilometres of ocean lay between the two continents.

And no rest stops?

Viking Site Replica, L'Anse aux Meadows, NF

In theory, as the article explains, a single female could swim the ocean and lay eggs on the other side. But the story inevitably reminds us of many claims that humans crossed the Atlantic from Europe long before the Age of Exploration (1400 on).  All legend? No, some are true, in substance, like the saga of Eric the Red and Leif the Lucky.

Yes. And “Vinland” is in … Newfoundland. Here.

Question: How useful is genome sequencing, compared to paleontology or archaeology, as evidnce for history?

Comments
Also you just need to be able to float to survive a flood. Swimming would be optional.
So why didn't every kind of creature survive THE FLOOD without being taken into the ark? Humans can float, right? Did God just have Noah build the ark for non-floating animals? Mung
Mung, That is OK- I trust my methodology. However if you are so inclined I suggest getting it onto its back and rub its tummy. then you should be able to scape away without worry, mate. Also you just need to be able to float to survive a flood. Swimming would be optional. Joseph
Joseph, Can't we just do a DNA test? You get the scraping, I'll hold the mouth open. ok? But surely crocodiles and alligators did not evolve independently. And they must have been able to swim in order to survive THE FLOOD. Mung
Barb, The shape of the jaw is the way to tell- gator jaws are wider a U vs a V, with one exception- the indian mugger (croc) also have a U- crocs also hae that lower tooth stcking out and up. I can't tell from the picture... Joseph
O/T: In the Einstein, Dembski, Chi Metric thread? Mung
MUNG: O/T advisory (pardon) -- MG showed back up and was raising q's on ev, which we made some comments on. G kairosfocus
ok, hang on here. I thought biogeography was proof for common descent. And now we find that common descent is proof of biogeography? Mung
Firstly, if the pic is from the "Everglades" as it seems to be captioned, are we sure that's not an alligator? I live in Florida, and we have them in abundance with one or two American crocs. Secondly, I love the "must have" in the description of crocodilian evolution. They must have? But you don't know for sure, do you? Science is about facts, not guesswork. Barb

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