Researchers have discovered fossilized bite marks on a massive terror bird, revealing that these apex predators were not invincible around water. The finding suggests that even giant birds could be preyed upon by aquatic creatures during the Miocene epoch (23 million to 5 million years ago).
The study, published in the journal Biology Letters, analyzed tooth marks on a leg bone of a terror bird estimated to have stood over 9 feet tall. Researchers concluded that a massive 15-foot-long caiman was likely responsible for these marks. The team evaluated the bite mark by creating detailed 3D images of the fossil and found no signs of healing, indicating that the bird died from its injuries.
The researchers suspected that a giant crocodilian killed the terror bird, but they were unable to confirm whether it was hunting or scavenging. Without direct evidence of the caiman eating the terror bird, the findings provide an anecdotal account of an aquatic apex predator feeding on a land apex predator during this time period.
This discovery sheds light on the complex ecological interactions in ancient South America and contributes to understanding the diet of giant predators like Purussaurus.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/animals/extinct-species/bite-marks-reveal-giant-terror-birds-were-potentially-prey-for-another-apex-predator-humongous-caiman