Prehistoric sea cow fossils show it was dinner for a crocodile and a shark

Imagine an epic prehistoric saga, unfolding in what is now northwestern Venezuela, featuring a sea cow as our unfortunate protagonist and a crocodile and a shark as the antagonists.

This tale is not a figment of our imagination, but a fascinating reality woven by scientists from several esteemed institutions.

Unearthing the prehistoric tale

The events of this story took place during the Early to Middle Miocene epoch, a period dating from 23 million to 11.6 million years ago. A sea cow, belonging to the extinct genus Culebratherium, found itself at the mercy of a crocodile’s attack.

Evidence of this saga is etched on the sea cow’s skull. Deep tooth impacts suggest that the crocodile launched the first attack, attempting to grasp the sea cow’s snout, likely intending to suffocate it.

Further large incisions indicate the crocodile dragged and tore at the sea cow, executing a “death roll” – a behavior observed in modern crocodiles.

As if being preyed upon by an ancient crocodile wasn’t enough, the sea cow’s remains were later scavenged by a tiger shark. The discovery of a shark tooth in the sea cow’s neck, along with various shark bite marks across the skeleton, solidify this part of the story.

Predation events in the fossil record

This prehistoric narrative was pieced together by experts from the University of Zurich and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, along with researchers from Venezuelan institutes Museo Paleontológico de Urumaco and the Universidad Nacional Experimental Francisco de Miranda.

The findings offer valuable insights into prehistoric predation patterns and the ancient food chain. Aldo Benites-Palomino, the study’s lead author from the Department of Paleontology at Zurich, explained that the research highlights the pivotal role of sea cows in the food chain.

“Our findings constitute one of the few records documenting multiple predators over a single prey, and as such provide a glimpse of food chain networks in this region during the Miocene,” said Benites-Palomino.

Verifying predation events in the fossil record can be challenging. “While evidence of food chain interactions are not scarce in the fossil record, they are mostly represented by fragmentary fossils exhibiting marks of ambiguous significance,” explained Benites-Palomino.

Peculiar sea cow remains

The fossils were uncovered in outcrops of the Early to Middle Miocene Agua Clara Formation, south of the city of Coro, Venezuela. Among the remains, experts discovered a partial skull and eighteen associated vertebrae.

The fossil site is intriguing due to its location – just 100 kilometers away from previous fossil finds. Professor Marcelo R Sanchez-Villagra described the discovery as “remarkable.”

Upon hearing rumors of unusual “rocks” from a local farmer, Sanchez-Villagra and his team decided to investigate. The researchers unearthed sea cow remains that were incredibly unusual in appearance.

“Initially, we were unfamiliar with the site’s geology, and the first fossils we unearthed were parts of skulls,” said Sanchez-Villagra.

“It took us some time to determine what they were – sea cow skulls, which are quite peculiar in appearance. By consulting geological maps and examining the sediments at the new locality, we were able to determine the age of the rocks in which the fossils were found.”

The meticulous work of preparing and restoring the cranial elements took several months, further solidifying the significance of this exciting find.

Insights into prehistoric marine ecosystems

The discovery of this prehistoric interaction not only sheds light on predator-prey dynamics but also provides crucial insights into the marine ecosystems of the Miocene epoch.

During this period, the region that is now northwestern Venezuela was submerged under shallow seas, creating a vibrant habitat teeming with diverse marine life.

These waters supported a rich tapestry of organisms, ranging from small invertebrates to large marine mammals like the sea cow.

By studying the fossilized remains and the environmental context in which they were found, scientists can reconstruct ancient ecosystems and better understand the ecological roles of different species.

The behaviors observed, such as the crocodile’s death roll and the shark scavenging, highlight the complex interactions that occurred in these prehistoric seas.

The research emphasizes the importance of apex predators in shaping the structure and dynamics of marine food webs, a concept that remains relevant in studying modern ecosystems.

The study is published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–