2.2" Crocodile Fossil Limb Bone Hell Creek FM Montana Cretaceous Dinosaur Age
Location: Hell Creek Formation, Montana (Private Land Origin)
Weight: 1.5 Ounces
Dimensions: 2.2 Inches Long, 1.5 Inches Wide, 1.4 Inches Thick
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
Cretaceous Age through to the Eocene Age
During the Late Cretaceous period, the Hell Creek Formation was a bustling ecosystem of rivers, floodplains, and wetlands, teeming with life. Among the dominant reptiles were several remarkable Crocodile species, each uniquely adapted to its environment.
The most formidable of these was Deinosuchus, a giant predator that could grow up to 40 feet (12 meters) in length. With a muscular, armored body, a long snout packed with sharp teeth, and powerful limbs, Deinosuchus could move effortlessly in water and on land. As an apex predator, it likely preyed upon dinosaurs and other large animals, striking fear into the creatures that shared its world. Its sheer size and strength made it one of the most intimidating crocodilians of the Late Cretaceous.
Sharing the waterways was Borealosuchus, a medium-sized crocodile measuring 10–15 feet (3–4.5 meters) in length. Borealosuchus had a slender, streamlined body and a narrow, tooth-filled snout, perfectly adapted for hunting fish and small vertebrates. Agile and swift, it navigated rivers and wetlands with precision, using speed and sharp teeth to catch prey.
The smallest of the Hell Creek crocodiles was Leidyosuchus, reaching about 6–8 feet (1.8–2.4 meters) in length. Its broad, rounded snout and blunt teeth suggest a diet of mollusks, crustaceans, and other small aquatic animals. Though modest in size, Leidyosuchus played a crucial ecological role, filling a specialized niche and thriving in habitats that larger crocodiles could not exploit.
Together, these three crocodile species highlight the diversity, adaptability, and ecological complexity of crocodilians in the Hell Creek Formation. From the colossal Deinosuchus to the agile Borealosuchus and the specialized Leidyosuchus, these ancient reptiles were masterful survivors in a dynamic Late Cretaceous ecosystem.
