Rare fossils of an extinct giant reptile, Chalawan thailandicus, from the late Jurassic period, have been declared Thailand’s 44th national treasure by the Department of Mineral Resources. The announcement, published on the Royal Gazette’s website, highlights the fossils’ rarity and special value, found in Nong Bua Lamphu and Mukdahan provinces.
The first Chalawan thailandicus fossil, a nearly complete lower jaw, was discovered in the early 1980s near Nong Bua Lamphu, in the Phu Kradung Formation in the Northeast. After thorough research, Thai and foreign paleontologists in 2013 classified it as a new species, distinct from the previously identified Sunosuchus thailandicus.
The fossil analysis suggests that Chalawan thailandicus had a skull length of approximately 1.1 meters and an overall body length exceeding 10 meters. The reptile’s name, “Chalawan,” is inspired by a character in the Thai folktale of Krai Thong, who could transform into a crocodile with diamond teeth. (NNT)
