Sporting a shaft-like beak capable of inflicting devastating blows, the infamous terrorist birds have emerged as formidable adversaries for many species.
Around 13 million years ago, however, one such bird may have fallen prey to even larger predators. A group of Colombian paleontologists made this discovery while analyzing bite marks found on fossilized remnants of the fearsome avian.
Their findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal “Biology Letters.” The researchers hypothesized that the bird was killed and consumed by medium-sized caimans, a crocodilian species.
Andres Link, the study’s lead investigator, shared with NBC News via email, “This represents a captivating tale of interaction between two iconic animals from the past. Not only did we identify the first instance of terrorist birds in northern South America, but we also found the tooth marks of the large caiman that likely preyed on it.”
Most unusual fossils of terrorist birds have previously been found in the southern regions of the continent, as noted in this report.
Link, an associate professor in biological sciences at the University of Los Andes, remarked that while tooth marks are “not uncommon” in the fossil record, it is “thrilling” to find proof that apex predators could fall victim to others.
The paper in “Biology Letters” highlights that there were no signs of healing on the tooth marks, indicating a fatal attack.
This leads researchers to conclude that terrorist birds may have been more vulnerable to predation than previously believed.
To determine the identity of the predator, Link and his team performed scans of the fossils and examined the size, shape, and arrangement of the tooth marks. By comparing these features with alligator-like teeth from the region, they deduced that the marks likely belong to a caiman measuring about 15 feet long.
Link noted that it was challenging to ascertain whether the caiman consumed the terrorist bird after killing it or scavenged the carcass. If the bird was alive during the encounter, it likely happened while it was drinking at the riverbank; alternatively, if it was already deceased, the caiman may have found it near the water.
“This narrative remains incomplete, as we lack further evidence to support either hypothesis,” Link stated.
The discovery calls into question the traditional view of “linear relationships between predators and their herbivore prey,” he remarked, adding, “The food web is considerably more intricate.”
The lower section of the bird’s left leg featured in this research was excavated two decades ago by local paleontologist Cesar Perdomo in the renowned La Venta fossil layer of Colombia.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
