We all remember the “food chain” topic we learned in Science class. Even in the eyes of many of us; A cycle that continues with a grass-fed grasshopper, a grasshopper-eating mouse, snake, and hawk has been revived.
We know that the balance of nature is preserved thanks to this food chain. What about examining the animals that lived in ancient times and survived by eating huge creatures weighing about 30 tons, namely dinosaurs?
Giant flying reptile: Quetzalcoatlus
It is estimated that Quetzalcoatlus, with a wingspan of 11 meters and a weight of approximately 250 kilograms, was at least 3 meters in length. Quetzalcoatlus, thought to have lived in North America, fed on dinosaurs of the genus Alamosaurus, about which we know a lot. How do we know this?
Examining the fossils of these flying reptiles, paleontologists came across Alamosaurus bone remains. Of course, Quelzalcoatlus would target and feed on their young before approaching the adults of this dinosaur species, the largest of which is thought to be 26 meters and around 40 tons.
The crocodile that hunted giant dinosaurs with its tactics: Deinosuchus
Like Quetzalcoatlus, Deinosuchus, known to live in North America and getting its meals from dinosaurs, was a crocodile with a length of 7-10 meters and a weight of about 8 tons. Deinosuchus, which was encountered with teeth marks in fossils of dinosaurs with duckbill-like beaks, could even hunt dinosaurs that were much larger and heavier than itself. But how?
It would prove its strength in nature by sneaking its prey into the water, the adult Albertosaurus and Appalachiosaurus, which we know to be extremely powerful dinosaurs. It is estimated that Deionosuchus found a way to lure the dinosaurs he saw as a target and killed them by drowning them.
Giant crocodile that looks like a beast: Sarcosuchus
Sarcosuchus, which lived in the Early Cretaceous Period, is a crocodile species that can reach up to 12 meters in length and weigh about 8 tons. Continuing his studies at Edinburgh University, paleontologist Dr. Mark Young stated that Sarcosuchus could compete with Deinosuchus in terms of size, and that with its narrow and long mouth structure, they hunted with different techniques than today’s crocodiles.
It is thought that the gigantic and dangerous crocodiles, which are not very picky about their diet, get some of their meals from the dinosaurs in their region. There is also evidence that Sarcosuchus lived in what is now Africa and South America.
Dinosaur-fed shark: Cretoxyrhina
The Cretoxyrhina, which lived in the Late Cretaceous period, could reach up to 8 meters in length and weigh about 5 tons, is more commonly known as the Ginsu shark. The teeth of a shark were found in the bone remains of a duck-billed dinosaur discovered in 2005.
While it is thought that the largest sharks in existence may have done this, the situation was not quite as predicted. The teeth marks on the dinosaur did not match this shark. As a result of more detailed research, it was revealed that these traces belonged to Cretoxyrhina, our leading role.
The water reptile that Jurassic World viewers will immediately remember: Mosazor
The extinct aquatic reptile that lived 82-66 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period, is, of course, about 10 times smaller than it appears in the Jurassic World.
This reptile, which hunted dinosaurs that fell into the water in extraordinary situations such as floods, storms, and migration, usually wandered near the surface of the water. The reason for this behavior was to get rid of the conflict between Mosazor and the much larger sea creatures Tylosaurus and Prognathodon.
The predatory mammal weighing only 5 kilograms: Didelphodon
The next species is not as gigantic in size and weight as you might think. The maximum length of Didelphodon’s skull was 12.21 centimeters. Yes, you heard right, even shorter than a pencil!
What do you think made Didelphodon capable of preying on dinosaurs when its size was so small in prehistoric times when size was so important? Examining and analyzing the skulls of these predatory mammals that fed their bellies with dinosaurs, it was discovered that they had a surprisingly high bite force.
Mammal only slightly larger than the cat: Repenomamus
Let’s go back a little further than the Late Cretaceous Period. For example, about 123 million years ago. The size of an average badger, Repenomamus, thanks to its excellent hunting skills, became a hunter rather than a prey.
The remains of Repenomamus were found on a baby dinosaur whose fossils were found in China. Of course, this is not a sufficient finding to reach a clear conclusion. Maybe he stumbled upon this dangerous mammal after the dinosaur died. However, it is predicted that Repenomamus, who is extremely skilled in hunting, survived by eating dinosaurs.
The nemesis of dinosaur eggs: Sanajeh
In fact, Sanajeh, which did not have a magnificent size, was only 3 meters in length. But how did this harmless-looking snake prey on the rather heavy and large dinosaurs? The answer isn’t all that complicated, of course, before the dinosaurs even got bigger!
It is known that after discovering the areas where the dinosaurs lay their eggs, they either swallow the eggs or wait in ambush until the hatching period of the eggs is over. A Sanajeh entwined around a dinosaur egg fossil found by paleontologists also confirms these predictions.
The worm that conquered the castle from within: Tapeworm
The danger did not always come from the outside, but there were also creatures that devoured the dinosaurs from within. One of them, the tapeworm, is one of the rare living species that still exists today.
When the fossilized intestines of carnivorous dinosaurs were examined, tapeworms were also found besides trematodes and nematodes. It is still not clear whether tapeworms, which we know to have obtained their food from dinosaurs, caused the death of the dinosaurs in which they settled.
Regardless of breed, size or weight, which of these 9 dangerous animals that fed on dinosaurs with highly developed hunting skills, which surprised you the most?
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