Crocolizard

Crocolizard is a species of large crocodilian-like lizard native to New Zealand. They first evolved as marine iguana-like lizards that made their way from nearby islands to mainland New Zealand during the early part of the Cenozoic era, where they had found no competition nor predation from crocodilians, so over millions of years, they evolved into large carnivorous Chasmatosuchus-like amphibious lizards that fill the similar niche to crocodilians elsewhere. Unlike (most) crocodilians, crocolizards have anti-freeze in their blood to prevent them from getting frostbites and similar effects from the cold of New Zealand. They are mostly found in riverbanks and lakes across both North Island and South Island of New Zealand, but there were once crocolizards in Australia, where they were since made extinct there after crocodilians invaded Australia in the Miocene. Today, crocolizards are listed as Endangered due to habitat loss and introduced American alligators, so if no action is taken on non-native alligators, the last crocolizards in the wild will become extinct, but there is hope as conservationists are trying to get rid of invasive alligators in New Zealand and protect the native habitats for the crocolizards.