Fossilized Sea Cow Reveals Ancient Predation Patterns

A rare fossil discovery in Venezuela has revealed that a prehistoric sea cow, belonging to the extinct genus Culebratherium, fell victim to both a crocodile and a tiger shark during the Miocene epoch, approximately 23 to 11.6 million years ago. The analysis of the fossilized remains, which included a partial skull and vertebrae, indicated that the crocodile initially attacked the sea cow, attempting to suffocate it using a 'death roll' technique, before the shark scavenged the remains. This unique find provides one of the few documented instances of a single prey animal being targeted by multiple predators, highlighting the complex food webs that existed during this period. Lead author Aldo Benites-Palomino emphasized the rarity of such evidence in the fossil record, which typically features fragmentary remains. The study sheds light on the ecological dynamics of ancient marine ecosystems and underscores the importance of sea cows within the food chain. The findings were published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, marking a significant contribution to our understanding of prehistoric predation interactions.