3.8" Cretaceous Crocodilian Skull Section w/ Stand - South Dakota

Cretaceous Crocodilian Skull Section w/ Stand - South Dakota #340099

This is a fossil crocodilian skull section collected in South Dakota. It likely came from either Borealosuchus sternbergii or Brachychampsa montana, both crocodilians of which have been described from the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota. The fossil measures 3.8" long and is accompanied by the pictured metal display stand.

The Hell Creek Formation

Renowned for both its age and rich sedimentary layers, the Hell Creek Formation is one of the most intensively studied fossil-bearing regions on Earth. To date, scientists have documented 158 genera of animals and 64 genera of plants from its rocks, with new finds emerging regularly. Beyond iconic dinosaurs such as tyrannosaurs, ceratopsians, and hadrosaurs, the formation has produced an extraordinary array of life, including amphibians, reptiles, lizards, snakes, turtles, fish, sharks, birds, and early mammals. Together, these fossils provide the most complete picture of the ecosystems that thrived just before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event.

SPECIES

Borealosuchus sternbergii or Brachychampsa montana

AGE

Late Cretaceous (~66 Million Years)