Description

Late Triassic

Bull Canyon Formation

Quay County, NM, USA

32mm claw. First we have ever had. Repaired tip.

Reptile, Archosaur

Machaeroprosopus is a genus within the Order Phytosauria, an extinct group of archosaurs that looked like and were related to crocodiles. It’s known from the Late Triassic of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.  Machaeroprosopus reached lengths of 15-16 feet – the size of a large, modern crocodile.

As a side note, the name Machaeroprosopus was in danger of becoming invalid because the type specimen had been lost for decades now and might have been tossed in a dumpster by a paleontologist! Other specimens were deemed as belonging to that genus and the name was saved.