ARLINGTON, Texas, July 15 (UPI) -- Diggers racing to explore a fossil site on land scheduled for development in Texas have uncovered what may be the remains of a new crocodilian species.
The Arlington Archosaur Site along the Trinity River contains fossils dating from the days when that part of Texas was a hot swamp, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Wednesday. The site is rich in the fossilized remains of sharks, turtles, duck-billed dinosaurs and crocodiles that lived and died about 100 million years ago.
About 50 bones believed to come from the same crocodile skeleton have been found in the last few days. The crocodile appears to have been about 6 feet long with teeth the length of a human thumb.
"We're excited because it's the most crocodile matter we've found in one spot since we started this project," said Derek Main, a University of Texas at Arlington graduate student who is supervising a crew of college students and volunteers.
The team has until next May to finish the job. The deadline was set by Huffines Communities of Dallas, which plans to begin construction in 2010 on a new community.
