{"product_id":"1-2-champsosaurus-gigas-reptile-fossil-vertebrae-cretaceous-hell-creek-fm-mt-coa","title":"1.1\" Champsosaurus Gigas Reptile Fossil Vertebrae Cretaceous Hell Creek FM MT COA","description":"\u003cp\u003eLocation: Hell Creek Formation, Glendive, Montana (Private Land Origin)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeight: 0.6 Ounces \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDimensions: 1.1 Inches Long, 0.9 Inch Wide, 0.9 Inches Thick\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #b45f06;\"\u003eComes with a Certificate of Authenticity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #38761d;\"\u003eThe item pictured is the one you will receive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #f1c232;\"\u003eName:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e Champsosaurus (Crocodile lizard).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #f1c232;\"\u003eDiet:\u003c\/span\u003e Carnivore\/piscivore.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #f1c232;\"\u003eSize:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e Depending upon the species, anywhere between 1.5 and 3.5 meters long. Known locations: Canada and the USA. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #b45f06;\"\u003eChampsosaurus\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e looked like a crocodile and almost certainly lived like a crocodile, the genus was actually a member of the Choristodera. This is a separate group of diapsid reptiles, meaning that despite their physical similarity, Champsosaurus was not related to modern crocodiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOut of all the modern types of crocodiles, Champsosaurus is most similar to the gharial. The snout is long and thin, which may indicate a specialization for hunting smaller organisms such as fish. The rear portion of the skull, however, is greatly expanded, allowing the placement of very large jaw-closing muscles. This may indicate that Champsosaurus had a surprisingly powerful bite given their narrow snouts. However, an alternative explanation might be that the muscles were fast-acting as opposed to powerful so that the jaws could close quickly around fast-moving prey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChampsosaurus has a long taxonomic history that dates back all the way to the ‘bone wars’, a rivalry between Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope in North America during the late nineteenth century. At the time of writing, there are seven recognized species of Champsosaurus, though many more were once named. Almost one hundred and fifty years of study have seen some of these be identified as synonyms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany species of Champsosaurus were quite modest in size, though some, such as C. Gigas, could approach up to three and a half meters in length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1250\/0441\/files\/Champsosaurus_11zon.jpg?v=1734450227\" width=\"874\" height=\"438\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr id=\"horizontalrule\"\u003e","brand":"Montana 21 6000","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51849093284120,"sku":"05DXX01","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1250\/0441\/files\/5U8A9596_04eca7a4-dd5e-432a-9fdf-5f2d27480db0.jpg?v=1774371893","url":"https:\/\/www.fossilageminerals.com\/products\/1-2-champsosaurus-gigas-reptile-fossil-vertebrae-cretaceous-hell-creek-fm-mt-coa","provider":"Fossil Age Minerals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}