1.5" Crocodile Fossil Vertebrae Bone Hell Creek FM Cretaceous Dinosaur Age MT

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

Weight: 0.7 Ounces

Dimensions: 1.5 Inches Long, 1.1 Inches Wide, 0.1 Inches Thick

The item pictured is the one you will receive. 

Cretaceous Age through to the Eocene Age 

Crocodiles are reptiles of the order Crocodylia that have existed for millions of years, evolving into a wide variety of species over time. During the Cretaceous Period, approximately 145 to 66 million years ago, several crocodile species inhabited the Hell Creek Formation in what is now the northern United States. This formation, which spans parts of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, preserves a rich record of Late Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems, showcasing the diverse plants and animals that once thrived in this region.

One of the most remarkable crocodiles from the Hell Creek Formation is Deinosuchus, a giant predator of the Late Cretaceous period. Among the largest crocodile-like reptiles ever known, some individuals of Deinosuchus reached lengths of up to 40 feet (12 meters). It possessed a robust, muscular body, a long, tooth-filled snout, and powerful limbs well adapted for both swimming and moving on land. As an apex predator, Deinosuchus likely dominated its ecosystem, preying on dinosaurs and other large animals with formidable strength and precision.

Borealosuchus was a medium-sized crocodile that lived in the Hell Creek Formation during the Late Cretaceous. Measuring around 10–15 feet (3–4.5 meters) in length, it had a more slender and agile body compared to the giant Deinosuchus. Its elongated snout, filled with sharp teeth, suggests Borealosuchus specialized in hunting fish and other small vertebrates, thriving as a versatile predator in the aquatic and near-shore environments of its time.

The third crocodile species found in the Hell Creek Formation is Leidyosuchus. Leidyosuchus was a smaller crocodile that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. It had a length of about 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 meters) and possessed a broad, rounded snout with blunt teeth. This morphology indicates that Leidyosuchus likely had a diet consisting of mollusks, crustaceans, and other small aquatic organisms.