GHOST RANCH, NEW MEXICO — Scientists have discovered Labrujasuchus expectatus, a two-legged, beaked crocodile relative, in Late Triassic (Norian) rocks at the Hayden Quarry of Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, U.S.A. The fossil species walked upright on two legs, possessed tiny arms, and had a toothless beak.

Labrujasuchus expectatus belongs to the Shuvosauridae family, part of the archosaur lineage that eventually gave rise to modern crocodiles. Only five shuvosaur species had been identified as of 2026, making this discovery a rare addition to a poorly known group of prehistoric reptiles.

The find fills a predicted evolutionary gap between older and younger shuvosaur fossils previously unearthed in the same region. The species name “expectatus” reflects that paleontologists anticipated the existence of an intermediate shuvosaur form based on the fossil record. “We wanted to give a nod to that colorful history, and honor the incredible role Ghost Ranch has played in expanding our view of the Triassic. We also wanted to highlight how the fossil record works -- finding one shuvosaur from earlier in the Triassic and one from later meant that we paleontologists knew there were probably more from in-between waiting to be discovered and described,” said Dr. Nate Smith, Gretchen Augustyn Director & Curator of the NHMLAC Dinosaur Institute.

The genus name “Labrujasuchus” combines “Ranchos de los Brujos,” an old Spanish name for Ghost Ranch meaning “Ranch of the Witches,” and the Greek word “suchus,” meaning “crocodile.” Smith noted that the name also pays homage to local lore: “Legend has it, the local rancheros gave the site the name 'Ranchos de Los Brujos' to keep folks away from the cattle-rustling operations of the Archuleta brothers.”

Ghost Ranch has been excavated for decades and contains multiple fossil quarries that have yielded exceptionally preserved Late Triassic specimens. The ongoing excavation effort at the site is co-led by Smith and focuses specifically on the Hayden Quarry.

Dr. Alan Turner commented on the broader significance of the discovery, saying, “We see a lot of the successful strategies for modern animals and non-avian dinosaurs first arise in the Triassic, and shuvosaurs are a great example of that convergent evolution.” He added, “Bipedalism is certainly a unique path for crocodile relatives to take, but it's a path well-trod by dinosaurs and later birds. It obviously worked for these animals.”