Phytosaurs

Prehistoric Predators of Texas

November 2025 – Spring 2026

Step back 230 million years to a time before the mighty dinosaurs ruled the Earth—and meet the true giants of their age: phytosaurs. These massive, crocodile-like reptiles prowled the waterways of ancient Texas during the Late Triassic Period, long before crocodiles themselves evolved.

Discovered in the reddish rocks of the Dockum Group along the Caprock Escarpment, near towns like Post, Crosbyton, and Big Spring, the fossils in this exhibit reveal a world both familiar and alien. While early dinosaurs were small—no bigger than dogs—phytosaurs were dominant predators, lurking in rivers and lakes to ambush fish, unsuspecting reptiles, and even dinosaurs that strayed too close to the water’s edge.

Though they may look like modern crocodiles, phytosaurs were only distant relatives, having evolved their powerful jaws, armored bodies, and aquatic lifestyle independently—a striking example of nature’s ability to reinvent success.

Come face-to-face with the fossils of these ancient hunters and explore the world they once ruled, right here in West Texas.