Rauisuchid Tooth-New Mexico 04

Taxa: Indeterminate Rauisuchid

Geology: Redonda formation

Age: Triassic

Locality: Quay County, New Mexico

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Redonda formation

The Redonda Formation is a Late Triassic geologic formation exposed in eastern New Mexico. It consists mainly of interbedded red-brown sandstone, mudstone, and shale, with some limestone layers, and ranges from about 25 to 425 feet (7.6–129.5 m) thick. The formation was deposited in and around a large ancient lake covering roughly 5,000 square kilometers (1,900 sq mi). Fossils found include abundant invertebrates, fish, amphibians, early reptiles, and notable theropod (dinosaur) tracks, though plant fossils are rare. The Redonda Formation conformably overlies the Bull Canyon Formation and underlies the Entrada Formation.

Rauisuchids

Rauisuchids were large (typically 2–6 meters long), carnivorous, quadrupedal archosaurs that dominated as top predators during the Triassic period. They had an erect gait with legs positioned vertically beneath the body, a feature that evolved independently from dinosaurs. Their bodies were often armored with rows of bony osteoderms along the back, and they possessed powerful jaws and serrated teeth for hunting large prey. Rauisuchids were globally distributed and closely related to the ancestors of modern crocodilians.