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

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

Weight: 0.5 Ounces 

Dimensions: 1.1 Inches Long, 0.8 Inches Wide, 0.8 Inches Thick

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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. 

Although Champsosaurus resembled a crocodile and likely occupied a similar ecological niche, it was actually a member of the Choristodera, a distinct group of diapsid reptiles. This means that, despite its crocodile-like appearance, Champsosaurus was not closely related to modern crocodilians. Among living crocodile species, it bears the closest resemblance to the gharial, with its long, slender snout suggesting a specialization for catching smaller prey such as fish.

Interestingly, the rear portion of Champsosaurus’ skull is greatly expanded, providing space for the attachment of large jaw-closing muscles. This anatomical feature may indicate that, despite its narrow snout, Champsosaurus possessed a surprisingly powerful bite. Alternatively, the muscle arrangement could have been adapted for speed rather than strength, allowing the jaws to snap shut quickly around fast-moving prey.

Champsosaurus also has a notable taxonomic history, dating back to the late nineteenth century during the famous “Bone Wars” rivalry between paleontologists Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope in North America. Today, seven species of Champsosaurus are recognized, though historically many more were named. Over nearly 150 years of research, several of these previously named species have been reclassified as synonyms.

Most Champsosaurus species were modest in size, but some, such as C. gigas, could reach lengths of up to three and a half meters, making them formidable predators in their freshwater habitats.