Paleontologists have identified a bizarre ancient reptile formally named Labrujasuchus expectatus, nicknamed the “Witch Croc,” that walked upright on two legs and had a toothless beak, despite being a distant relative of modern crocodiles.
The 212-million-year-old fossil was found at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico.
It had tiny forelimbs, no teeth, and moved nothing like any crocodile alive today.
Nicknamed the ‘Witch Croc’
According to the Taylor & Francis Group, its name combines the Greek word for crocodile with “bruja,” the Spanish word for witch, referencing an old name for Ghost Ranch: Ranch of the Witches.
The species name, expectatus, is Latin for “expected,” because scientists already knew a fossil like this had to exist. It fills a gap between two other known species in the same family.
Lead author Dr. Alan Turner of Stony Brook University said, “Bipedalism is certainly a unique path for crocodile relatives to take, but it’s a path well-trod by dinosaurs and later birds. It obviously worked for these animals.”
Despite being from a completely different branch of the reptile family tree, the creature looked almost identical to the fast-running, ostrich-like dinosaurs of the Cretaceous period, over 100 million years later.
Scientists call this convergent evolution, where unrelated animals arrive at the same body type under similar pressures.
For fans of prehistoric creatures, the Pokemon Fossil Museum is coming to Chicago later this year, blending real paleontology with fan-favorite fossil Pokemon.
