The fossilized neck bone of a flying reptile found in Canada provides compelling evidence that it was bitten by a crocodile-like animal 76 million years ago, as detailed in a recent study published on January 23 in the *Journal of Palaeontology*.
The fossilized neck bone of a flying reptile discovered in Canada shows clear evidence of being bitten by a crocodile-like creature 76 million years ago, according to a new study published today [23 January] in the Journal of Palaeontology.
The juvenile pterosaur vertebra, found in Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, features a circular puncture approximately four millimeters wide that matches the shape of a crocodilian tooth. Experts from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology (Canada), the University of Reading (UK), and the University of New England (Australia) state that this scarce finding offers a glimpse into the predator-prey interactions in that area during the Cretaceous Period.
This discovery was made during an international field course in July 2023, which was led by Dr. Brian Pickles from the University of Reading.
Dr. Caleb Brown, the lead author from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, commented, “Pterosaur bones are quite fragile, so uncovering fossils that clearly show bite marks from another animal is highly unusual. Finding a juvenile specimen adds to its rarity.”
Dinosaur Provincial Park is known for yielding some of the most significant dinosaur fossil discoveries.
The bitten vertebra comes from a young Azhdarchid pterosaur, scientifically named Cryodrakon boreas, which likely had a wingspan of about two meters. Adult members of this species could reach heights similar to a giraffe, boasting wingspans around 10 meters.
The researchers utilized micro-CT scans along with comparisons to other pterosaur bones to confirm that the puncture was not merely a byproduct of fossilization or excavation, but an actual bite.
Dr. Brian Pickles, a co-author of the study from the University of Reading, explained, “Bite marks help illustrate the interactions between species during this time. While we cannot determine if the pterosaur was alive or deceased at the time of the bite, this finding indicates that crocodilians occasionally preyed on or scavenged juvenile pterosaurs in prehistoric Alberta more than 70 million years ago.”
The study also reveals that this newly analyzed bone provides the first evidence from North America of ancient crocodilians opportunistically feeding on these massive flying reptiles from the past. While potential evidence of crocodilian bites on Azhdarchid bones has been discovered before in Romania, this finding marks a significant addition to our understanding.
