SMU professor and paleontologist Thomas L. Adams has identified a 96-million year old fossil as a Terminonaris - a massive prehistoric crocodile which is the oldest of its kind in the world. The fossil was discovered at Lake Lewisville near Dallas.

The fossil was found by Brian Condon, a rural mail carrier, was he was fossil hunting hear his home near Lake Lewisville. Condon found a well-preserved, narrow fossil snout that measured over two-feet long and seven-inches wide. Adams believes that the creature would have had a head over a meter in length.

The finding of this ancient Terminonaris fossil has debunked previous theories that the creature originated in Europe. It is now believed that Terminonaris started in Texas.

Adams said, "With the recognition of Terminonaris here in Texas, this actually changes a lot about what we thought we knew about this group.

"Now we know Terminonaris most likely originated here in Texas and dispersed northward."

Terminonaris likely weighed over a ton and reached a length between 23-25 feet long. The largest living crocodile today is the saltwater crocodile, which can reach 20 feet in length.