The mystery of the ancient food chain solved: how did a 20-million-year-old manatee fossil feed two different predators?
November 19, 2024
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20 million years ago, Asian manatee The dugong fell prey to a crocodile and then a shark. This surprising event has become international research team and provides unique
20 million years ago, Asian manatee The dugong fell prey to a crocodile and then a shark.
This surprising event has become international research team and provides unique information about marine life millions of years ago…
This fossil didn’t just find marine life; It also helps us understand nature’s cruel cycle.
paleontologist from the University of Zurich Aldo Benites-Palomino Led by a team, this fossil, which is millions of years old, was discovered off the coast of Venezuela. In fact, this fossil was more of a beautiful piece of evidence that helped us understand the food chain, rather than a relic.
Which animals hunt more than one prey? food source We didn’t know this until this study. This research starts with rocks found by a farmer in Coro, Venezuela.
There were several different backbones in the minerals on the rock.
The research showed that these belonged to the manatee genus Culebratherium. The teeth marks on the fossil indicate that it was attacked by a crocodile. Cutting off a piece of manatee In addition to the crocodile, the team also found a tooth stain.
G.aduncus It shows the extinct shark, which was determined to be a species of shark, dealt the final blow to the skeleton. In fact, this discovery shows that a creature feeds on more than one predator.
Galeocerdo aduncus
The result is this discovery of fossils, It not only provides new insights into the dynamics of ancient marine life; It also reveals the cruel and interconnected cycle of nature.
Ashley Johnson is a science writer for “Div Bracket”. With a background in the natural sciences and a passion for exploring the mysteries of the universe, she provides in-depth coverage of the latest scientific developments.