Question I love asking is why did crocodiles survive the K/T event, the case put forward then is that nothing larger than them survived (although the largest species and family of crocodiles at the time was up to 9m to survive).
But then what about semi-prehistoric shark; Otodus (60mil to 45mil years ago) that was roughly just over 9metres and this evolved to an even larger shark the Megalodon (roughly just over 13meters and makes the Great White Shark a junior in the killer heirachy).
http://www.prionace.it/otodusobliquusENG.htm
Also another one to consider at the 60mil years ago period is the known Titanoboa that grew to 40ft and weighed more than 1 ton.
http://scitechdaily.com/titanoboa-a-paleogene-period-40-foot-long-snake/
And if size is a consideration, then what about the dinosaurs that had feathers and were small, or dinosaurs with physiology comparable(ish) to smaller crocs-snakes-largest mammals (or a bit larger)
OK I accept K/T in reality is only 1 partial aspect of a much larger jigsaw and just adding to the banter (this subject was always lively on SP in the past, ah fun days).
But what really killed off all dinos is rather intriguing IMO, because the shark (especially this one),the largest snakes, and croc break the model of K/T event and the following years killing off everything greater than a small size and ignores smallest dinos.
Worth remembering mammals were pretty insignificant to the above, earliest sea-based mammal would roughly be the Ambulocetus 3meters in length and similar to a crocodile in appearance and was around 50mil years ago, and earlier mammals were rat size around 65mil years ago (so roughly 15mil years to achieve being comparable in some ways to a crocodile) .
Interesting subject to be sure.
For size context; largest example of modern Great White shark is just over 6meters (so the largest crocs at the time were 50% larger albeit with a strong tail, but those crocs were still massive considering modern croc grow to around 5meters), says something about those other sharks I mention (which finally went extinct between 2m to some say 10ks of years ago for the Megalodon) and the Titanoboa snake.
Interesting how nearly every species apart from mammal came down in size over time starting from around 50-45mil years ago to more modern times.
Apologies if a few mistakes in post did check it a bit, however it is Friday and late-ish
Thanks for the link Steve.
Orb