Fossilised remains of prehistoric predators unearthed in north
Palaeontologists in Queensland, Australia, have discovered a rare 100-million-year-old fossil site showing a three-tier predator interaction. The find includes an ichthyosaur, a pterosaur, and a kronosaurus, providing unique evidence of prehistoric marine behavior.
Why it matters
This discovery is scientifically significant as it offers one of the clearest examples of multi-species predator interaction in the fossil record.
This artwork by Peter Trusler is based on the fossil evidence and depicts an ichthyosaur eating a pterosaur before both are devoured by a kronosaurus. ( Supplied: Matt White )
Fossils found in north-west Queensland have given palaeontologists "direct evidence" of the behaviour of prehistoric animals in the Eromanga Sea 100 million years ago.
This is one of the clearest — and only — examples of "three-tier predator interaction" ever discovered and is expected to attract global attention.
Two renowned palaeontologists say the discovery is scientifically significant, though precisely what happened between the three predators will never be known.
Link copied Share Share article A prehistoric "crime scene" involving a marine reptile eating one of its flying cousins before being killed by the "T-rex of the ocean" has been uncovered in outback Queensland.
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