New Study Provides Gruesome Evidence of Predation on Long-Necked Marine Reptiles

Title: Fossil Evidence Confirms Predators Decapitated Ancient Marine Reptiles with Long Necks

Subtitle: Study provides first direct proof of long-suspected vulnerability despite their evolutionary success

Date: June 20, 2023

In a groundbreaking discovery, fossil evidence has confirmed that the long necks of ancient marine reptiles, known as Tanystropheus, made them vulnerable to predators. The study, published in the journal Current Biology, reveals bite marks on the necks of fossilized specimens, providing the first direct proof of this long-suspected evolutionary disadvantage.

For almost 200 years, paleontologists have speculated that the long-necked bodies of marine reptiles made them susceptible to predation. However, it was not until now that direct fossil evidence confirmed this hypothesis in a graphic and gruesome manner.

The researchers focused on two Triassic species of Tanystropheus, a reptile distantly related to crocodiles, birds, and dinosaurs. These species had unique necks composed of 13 extremely elongated vertebrae and strut-like ribs. It is believed that these marine reptiles possessed stiffened necks and waited to ambush their prey. However, it appears that Tanystropheus’s predators also took advantage of their long necks.

Upon careful examination of the fossilized bones, the researchers discovered clear bite marks on the necks of two specimens representing different species. In one case, the bite marks were located right where the neck was broken. This discovery provides exceedingly rare evidence of predator-prey interactions in the fossil record dating back over 240 million years.

Stephan Spiekman of the Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Germany, stated, “Paleontologists speculated that these long necks formed an obvious weak spot for predation, as was already vividly depicted almost 200 years ago in a famous painting by Henry de la Beche from 1830. Nevertheless, there was no evidence of decapitation—or any other sort of attack targeting the neck—known from the abundant fossil record of long-necked marine reptiles until our present study on these two specimens of Tanystropheus.”

The researchers also noted that the decapitation scenario played out for both specimens, which represented individuals of two different Tanystropheus species. This finding confirms earlier interpretations that the ancient reptiles’ necks represented a completely unique evolutionary structure, narrower and stiffer than those of long-necked plesiosaurs. Despite the potential downsides of evolving a long neck as a sea reptile, elongated necks were clearly a highly successful evolutionary strategy, found in many different marine reptiles over a span of 175 million years.

“In a very broad sense, our research once again shows that evolution is a game of trade-offs,” said Spiekman. “The advantage of having a long neck clearly outweighed the risk of being targeted by a predator for a very long time. Even Tanystropheus itself was quite successful in evolutionary terms, living for at least 10 million years

How did the long necks of the Tanystropheus make them vulnerable to predators?

Ears that their long necks also made them an easy target for predators.

The fossil evidence revealed bite marks and severed necks on the specimens, indicating that predators went for the jugular, quite literally, when it came to these long-necked reptiles. It is believed that these predators decapitated the Tanystropheus and likely consumed their heads first.

This discovery sheds light on the vulnerability of these ancient marine reptiles despite their evolutionary success. Despite their unique body structure and successful adaptation to an aquatic lifestyle, the long necks turned out to be a fatal disadvantage when faced with predators.

The findings provide valuable insights into the predator-prey dynamics of the Triassic period and highlight the importance of neck length as a determinant of vulnerability in ancient marine reptiles. It also underscores the significance of fossil evidence in uncovering the mysteries of prehistoric life.

Overall, this study provides the first direct proof of the long-suspected vulnerability of ancient marine reptiles with long necks, serving as a stark reminder that even seemingly successful adaptations can have unexpected drawbacks in the face of predation.