In a remarkable discovery, scientists have unearthed the fossilized remains of a prehistoric sea cow in northern Venezuela, revealing a captivating story of multiple predation. The skeleton, dating back to the Early to Middle Miocene epoch (23 million to 11.6 million years ago), presents a rare example of one animal being preyed upon by two different predators. This discovery sheds light on the intricate food chain networks that existed millions of years ago.
The sea cow, belonging to the genus *Culebratherium*, bears conspicuous deep tooth impacts on its snout, suggesting the initial attack came from a crocodile. The crocodile, likely a large ancient predator, grabbed the sea cow by the face, attempting to suffocate it. Further gashes and incisions reveal that the crocodile dragged its prey and performed a deadly “death roll” to kill it, a technique still employed by modern crocodiles.
Adding to the story, the paleontologists found a tiger shark (*Galeocerdo cuvier*) tooth embedded in the sea cow’s neck, along with distinctive shark bite marks across its skeleton. Modern tiger sharks, often known as “dustbins of the sea,” are known for their scavenging habits. This discovery suggests that tiger sharks, millions of years ago, were also opportunistic scavengers.
The fossil skeleton, including part of the sea cow’s skull and 18 vertebrae, was found in outcrops of the Early to Middle Miocene Agua Clara Formation near the city of Coro. The exceptional preservation of the skeleton, buried in fine sediment, allowed the team to meticulously study the bite marks. The crocodilian’s punctures were semi-circular, while the wider, curved incisions indicate the dragging motion during the death roll. The shark bite marks, on the other hand, displayed long, narrow slits with V-shaped cross sections, a hallmark of shark bites.
This remarkable discovery offers a glimpse into the ancient food chain dynamics and how similar it remains to today’s ecosystem. The carcass of a dead animal, as seen in this fossil, provides a vital food source for other animals, demonstrating the interconnectedness of the food web.
“Today, often when we observe a predator in the wild, we find the carcass of prey which demonstrates its function as a food source for other animals too; but fossil records of this are rarer,” said lead-author Aldo Benites-Palomino, a researcher from the Department of Paleontology at the University of Zurich. This discovery reinforces the interconnectedness of the food web, highlighting the ongoing significance of predator-prey relationships in shaping ecosystems.
