These remains belong to massive, meat-eating amphibians that resembled crocodiles in their appearance.
Experts describe the find as an extraordinary discovery, unique in Europe. Using a specialized 3D CT scanner, researchers were able to identify ten fossilized skulls from the Triassic period within massive sandstone blocks from the Steigerwald. The fossils are believed to be approximately 230 million years old.
“About four years ago, we discovered the fossilized lower jaw of one of these giant amphibians in a sandstone quarry near Rauhenebrach. The jaw was lined with numerous teeth. As we continued our search, we came across additional sandstone blocks that we suspected contained skull fragments,” explained Roland Eichhorn, head of the Geological Service at the Bavarian Environment Agency (LfU) in Augsburg.
Fossils Reveal Crocodile-Like Features
The find confirms that millions of years ago, crocodile-like species of the genera Cyclotosaurus and Metoposaurus inhabited what is now the Steigerwald. These predatory amphibians had jaws measuring over half a meter long, armed with rows of sharp teeth.
Experts suggest that the skulls ended up in their current location as a result of heavy rainfall. The water may have washed the fossils out of a muddy pond and carried them into a sandy riverbed, where they were preserved.
Mysterious Death of the Giant Amphibians
The exact cause of death of these creatures remains unclear. According to Eichhorn, during the Triassic period at least two species of these amphibians lurked in ponds across the Steigerwald, lying in wait for prey much like modern alligators or crocodiles in Florida’s Everglades. It is possible that during a prolonged dry season, the animals gathered in a shrinking waterhole. When the pond eventually dried out completely, they may have perished together.
The Bavarian Environment Agency regards this latest discovery as another important piece of the puzzle in reconstructing the prehistoric ecosystem of the Steigerwald.
With material from dpa and epd.
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