1" Phytosaur Fossil Tooth Triassic Age Archosaur Redonda FM NM COA & Display

Location: Redonda Formation, New Mexico (Private Land Origin) 

Weight: 0.3 Ounces 

Dimensions: 1 Inch Long, 0.5 Inches Wide, 0.5 Inches Thick

Comes with a free Display.

Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

The item pictured is the one you will receive.

This is a real fossil.

Late Triassic 242 To 199 Million Years Old

Rutiodon was a formidable genus of Phytosaurs, an extinct group of semi-aquatic archosaurs that lived during the Late Triassic period. Phytosaurs resembled modern crocodiles with their long, narrow snouts, armored bodies, and aquatic hunting habits, a clear example of convergent evolution. Despite their crocodile-like appearance, phytosaurs were not true crocodiles, though they were more closely related to modern crocodilians than to other reptiles. The name “phytosaur”—meaning “plant reptile”—originated from early misidentifications of their diet, but their sharp, pointed teeth reveal they were efficient predators.

Rutiodon measured between 3 and 8 meters in length and inhabited freshwater rivers, lakes, and wetlands across the eastern United States. Its powerful jaws, elongated snout, and heavy armor allowed it to hunt fish, amphibians, and smaller vertebrates, making it a dominant predator of its ecosystem.

Fossils of Rutiodon and other phytosaurs provide crucial insight into archosaur evolution, predator-prey relationships, and the ecological diversity of the Late Triassic.