Labrujasuchus expectatus: Toothless, Beaked “Witch Croc” from New Mexico Shows Dinosaur-Like Body Plan Evolved in Crocodile Relatives 212 Million Years Ago

Paleontologists have described Labrujasuchus expectatus (“witch crocodile”), a remarkable new shuvosaurid archosaur from the Late Triᴀssic Hayden Quarry at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico. Dated to approximately 212 million years ago, this bipedal, toothless, beaked creature reveals striking convergent evolution with later ornithomimosaur dinosaurs—despite belonging to the crocodilian lineage.

The fossils, excavated over two decades at the iconic site, include a partial skull and postcranial elements showing a fully upright posture, tiny forelimbs, and a sharp, toothless beak. Unlike modern crocodiles, Labrujasuchus was a swift, ostrich-like predator or omnivore that stalked the floodplains of ancient Pangea. Its name honours the Spanish “Ranch of the Witches” (Ghost Ranch) and the site’s legendary status.

This discovery underscores that dinosaur-like traits—bipedalism, reduced arms, and beaks—evolved independently in archosaurs long before true dinosaurs dominated. Labrujasuchus coexisted with early dinosaurs such as Coelophysis, proving that the Triᴀssic was a time of intense experimentation rather than dinosaur exclusivity.

“This animal looked like a dinosaur but walked on the crocodilian branch of the family tree,” said lead author Sterling Nesbitt. The find dramatically expands our understanding of Triᴀssic biodiversity and shows how ecological niches were filled by multiple lineages millions of years before the dinosaur “takeover.”

After 212 million years, the “witch croc” of New Mexico has emerged as one of the most bizarre and informative fossils of the dawn of the dinosaurs.