Tuesday, June 30, 2026
Science

Locked in stone for 210 million years, this newly identified crocodile cousin was built to crush larger prey

On a fateful day 210 million years ago, two crocodile cousins about the size of jackals stood side-by-side amid the low ferns of a humid riverbank that would one day become northern New Mexico. One of the crocs, Hesperosuchus agilis, had a long snout, large back legs, and smaller, thinner arms. A la...

Locked in stone for 210 million years, this newly identified crocodile cousin was built to crush larger prey
Image: Phys.org
On a fateful day 210 million years ago, two crocodile cousins about the size of jackals stood side-by-side amid the low ferns of a humid riverbank that would one day become northern New Mexico. One of the crocs, Hesperosuchus agilis, had a long snout, large back legs, and smaller, thinner arms. A land dweller, Hesperosuchus was speedy and liked to hunt for food near rivers and streams.

Originally published at Phys.org

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