0.5" Champsosaurus Gigas Reptile Fossil Vertebrae Cretaceous Hell Creek FM MT COA

Location: Hell Creek Formation, Glendive, Montana (Private Land Origin)

Weight: 0.2 Ounces 

Dimensions: 0.5 Inches Long, 0.5 Inches Wide, 0.4 Inches Thick

Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

The item pictured is the one you will receive.

Name: Champsosaurus (Crocodile lizard).

Diet: Carnivore/piscivore.

Size: Depending upon the species, anywhere between 1.5 and 3.5 meters long. Known locations: Canada and the USA. 

Champsosaurus Gigas represents a distinct lineage within Choristodera, a diapsid reptile group separate from true crocodilians despite superficial morphological convergence. The genus exhibits a specialized cranial architecture, characterized by an elongated, narrow rostrum consistent with piscivorous feeding strategies, paired with a substantially enlarged braincase that accommodates robust adductor musculature. This anatomical configuration suggests either formidable bite force or rapid jaw closure mechanics optimized for capturing swift aquatic prey. C. Gigas achieved exceptional size within the genus, attaining lengths exceeding 3.5 meters. The taxon's nomenclatural history extends to the nineteenth-century "bone wars" between Marsh and Cope, with subsequent taxonomic revision reducing numerous historical species designations to recognized synonymies. Seven extant species are currently validated following nearly 150 years of paleontological investigation. This authentic vertebral element provides direct osteological evidence of this remarkable Cretaceous reptile's skeletal morphology and evolutionary significance.