site.btaPaleontologists Unearth Crocodile Tooth, Dinosaur Bone at Tran Fossil Site

A crocodile tooth and a dinosaur bone are among the latest fossils uncovered during the 9th paleontological expedition to Bulgaria’s Tran dinosaur fossil site, the National Museum of Natural History said on Thursday.

The research team also recovered fragments of shells belonging to side-necked turtles of the Bothremydidae family, along with several small bone fragments that have not yet been identified. A newly discovered Late Cretaceous vertebrate fossil site near Breznik was surveyed as well.

The expedition runs through August 3, with researchers hoping the remaining days of the field season will yield even better-preserved and more significant fossils.

Over the previous eight expeditions, paleontologists identified remains from at least nine groups of vertebrates at the Tran dinosaur fossil site, including two dinosaur species, two crocodile species, two turtle species and gars. Previously known mainly for fossil plants dating back about 75 million years, the site has now yielded additional fossilized leaves that could help reconstruct the region’s ancient vegetation and climate.