Stephanie Drumheller-Horton, an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, was part of a team that identified a new species of delta crocodile. These giant prehistoric crocodiles roamed the coasts and waterways of what’s now north-central Texas about 95 million years ago.
Scientists say the Deltasuchus motherali, named after a dig site volunteer Austin Motheral, grew to lengths around 20 feet. She says the animal’s head shape indicated it had a generalist diet and could eat about anything it wanted to.
The team says it was the ‘top predator’ of the area and that it lived 95 to 100 million years ago and could be the first of what may be several new species from the fossil site.
Outlets that featured the story included NBC Fort Worth, U.S. News & World Report, WRCB-TV Chattanooga, Daily Mail, WBIR-TV Channel 10, Fox News Science, The Rivard Report and D Magazine.