Ice Archosauromorph


 Recent retreat of ancient ice sheets from western Virginia has revealed the frozen exquisitely preserved remains of a phytosaurian archosaur. The specimen appears to be of the fully crested type, similar to Nicrosaurus kapffi, previously only known from Germany. As the photos below demonstrate, even details of the soft tissue are preserved giving us amazing insight of this animal such as proportions, posture, and that it had bulgy eyeballs. 
 



 A close-up of the pes shows that digit four is the longest, supporting the hypothesis that the ichnoform Apatopus is indeed the track of phytosaurians.


Discoverers Michelle Stocker and Sterling Nesbitt are taking measurements and describing the new find before the Spring thaw, hopefully publishing the results soon.  In the meantime they are also eagerly awaiting what other rare forms may be exposed as these thick deposits of eastern ice finally retreat.

 




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