Over 76 million years ago, a massive 31-foot crocodilian with powerful jaws hunted dinosaurs in the eastern United States region

Over 76 million years ago, a massive 31-foot crocodilian with powerful jaws hunted dinosaurs in the eastern United States region. The animal was Deinosuchus schwimmeri, a crocodilian that lived in what is now the eastern United States between 83 million and 76 million years ago. It could reach 31 feet, or 9.45 meters, in length. A life-size skeleton replica has now been installed at the Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. The replica was created from fossil scans and decades of research by paleontologist Dr. David Schwimmer, after whom the species was named.

A crocodilian that lived alongside dinosaurs

Deinosuchus schwimmeri was an ancient crocodilian. It looked similar to a large alligator, but it belonged to an older lineage within the crocodilian group. Modern crocodiles, alligators, caimans and gharials are also members of this broader group. The animal lived during the Late Cretaceous. It inhabited parts of what is now the eastern United States. At that time, the geography and environment of North America were different from those seen today.


Deinosuchus could grow to 31 feet, or 9.45 meters. That is about the length of a school bus. Its size and jaws meant it could attack dinosaurs and other large animals that came close to the water. Because of its size and position within its ecosystem, Deinosuchus has often been described as a dinosaur-killer. Research into its fossils has also provided evidence of interactions between the crocodilian and dinosaurs.

Life-size Deinosuchus replica created from fossil research

The Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville, Georgia, commissioned the new Deinosuchus schwimmeri prototype. The skeleton was installed at the museum after two years of consultation between Dr. David Schwimmer and Triebold Paleontology Inc. Triebold Paleontology creates fossil skeleton models for museums, universities and other institutions. For this project, the team used high-resolution three-dimensional scans of fossil records.

The scans helped researchers reconstruct the skeleton. They were also used to determine how the bones connected. The team reconstructed the animal's dermal armor, which consisted of hard bony plates embedded within the skin. These structures are known as osteoderms in crocodilians. They formed part of the animal's armored surface along its back.

The project was not based on simply enlarging an illustration. Researchers had to compare fossil evidence, determine the position of individual bones and use related animals to reconstruct missing sections. The completed skeleton gives visitors a view of the animal's size and body structure. It also provides a model that can help researchers examine the anatomy of Deinosuchus and study how it lived.

Museum uses Deinosuchus to explain the Cretaceous ecosystem

The Tellus Science Museum receives thousands of students from Georgia and neighboring states. Many visit during school trips to learn about the region and how it changed over time. The museum's director of education, Hannah Eisla, said the addition of Deinosuchus schwimmeri gives students more information about the ecosystem that existed in the region during the Cretaceous Period.

The Cretaceous Period was the final major chapter of the dinosaur age. During that period, North America's landscape, coastline and wildlife were different from the present-day environment. The museum's curatorial coordinator, Rebecca Melsheimer, said Tellus is currently the only museum with a cast of Deinosuchus schwimmeri. The life-size display allows visitors to understand the scale of animals that lived during the Late Cretaceous.

Deinosuchus schwimmeri was named after David Schwimmer

Paleontologists formally recognized Deinosuchus schwimmeri as a distinct species in 2020. The species was named after Dr. David Schwimmer because of his work on Late Cretaceous paleontology in the Southeast and along the eastern seaboard of the United States. The scientific paper naming the species was published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology in July 2020.

Schwimmer has spent more than four decades searching for, excavating and studying Deinosuchus fossils. Some of his field expeditions in Alabama, Georgia and Texas received support from National Geographic grants.

The fossils he recovered are now preserved in museum collections. These include the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Tellus Science Museum. The preserved fossils remain available for research and allow scientists to study the animal using physical evidence collected from different sites.

Childhood interest led to decades of Deinosuchus research

Schwimmer's interest in Deinosuchus began during his childhood in New York City. He lived about 10 blocks from the American Museum of Natural History. A display featuring a Deinosuchus skull first drew his attention to the animal. He found his first Deinosuchus fossil remains in 1979. This was one year after he joined Columbus State, then known as Columbus College.

His research later focused on the animal's biology, behavior and prehistoric environment. His work also established him as a researcher of the Late Cretaceous epoch in the southeastern United States. The Late Cretaceous lasted from about 100.5 million years ago to 66 million years ago.

Research conducted by Schwimmer and others during the 1980s also produced evidence of several paleontological firsts in Georgia. These included the state's first known flying reptiles, dinosaurs and Deinosuchus. Flying reptiles from that period are often called pterodactyls in common usage. They were not dinosaurs. They belonged to a separate group called pterosaurs.

His book documented the first 20 years of discoveries

Schwimmer previously worked as a science writer for ocean explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau. He later summarized the first 20 years of his Deinosuchus research in his 2002 book, King of the Crocodylians: The Paleobiology of Deinosuchus.

The book became an Amazon top seller in its category for several weeks. It was also selected as a book of the month by science-focused reading groups, including a group organized by the Discovery Educator Network. Schwimmer is now updating the book. His research has contributed to scientific understanding of Deinosuchus and other Mesozoic animals found in Georgia.

His expertise has also been used by institutions such as Atlanta's Fernbank Museum of Natural History, the University of Texas' Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory and the Tellus Museum. He has advised these institutions on fossil collections and educational exhibits.

Bite marks provide evidence of dinosaur interactions

Research published in 2010 brought further attention to Deinosuchus. One study examined bite marks preserved on dinosaur bones. The marks provided physical evidence of interactions between the giant crocodilian and dinosaurs. They offered researchers another way to study the animal's behavior.

A second study examined fossilized dung, known as coprolites. These fossils can provide information about an ancient animal's diet, digestive system and environment. The coprolite research was conducted by Samantha Harrell Stanford, who was an undergraduate environmental science and geology major in 2010. Schwimmer supervised the work.

The studies were presented in a special symposium volume of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin. They were also presented at the March 2010 Geological Society of America Northeastern-Southeastern Annual Meeting. Harrell was credited with contributing to both projects.

Nearby fossil sites helped student research

Schwimmer has also used the Deinosuchus discoveries to explain the role of local research in paleontology. He said students do not always need to travel to distant deserts or other continents to conduct meaningful fossil research. Important discoveries can sometimes be made close to a university campus.

Smaller institutions can also give students direct access to faculty members and field research. Harrell worked with Schwimmer in the field and collected fossils with him. Schwimmer said undergraduate students at smaller institutions can receive opportunities to work directly with faculty and take part in research that can contribute to the scientific field.

Several known Deinosuchus sites are located within 40 miles of Columbus. These fossil beds have provided Schwimmer and generations of students with research opportunities. The location of these sites also connects the Deinosuchus display at Tellus Science Museum with fossil evidence from the wider region.

Why the skeleton matters?

A fossil collection provides individual pieces of evidence. A life-size replica can connect those pieces into a complete body structure. The Deinosuchus schwimmeri mount shows how the animal's bones were connected and how its body may have been organized. It also allows visitors to compare its size with their own surroundings.

For researchers, the mounted skeleton can provide a model for examining anatomy. For students, it provides a way to understand the animal's place in the Late Cretaceous ecosystem. Schwimmer said fully assembled, life-size replicas can help researchers understand how animals such as Deinosuchus functioned. The skeleton therefore serves both an educational and research purpose.

What happened to Deinosuchus?

Deinosuchus lived between about 83 million and 76 million years ago. It was part of the crocodilian lineage and lived alongside dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous. Its fossils have been found in areas that are now part of the United States, including Alabama, Georgia and Texas. Research into its fossils has provided information about its anatomy, behavior, diet and interactions with other animals.

The animal is no longer present. Its fossils remain in museum collections and continue to support research into Late Cretaceous ecosystems. The new Tellus Science Museum replica brings that fossil evidence together in one life-size structure. It allows visitors to see the scale of an animal that lived in the region millions of years before modern Georgia existed.