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Teeth marks suggest ‘terror bird’ was killed by reptile 13 million years ago
Science correspondent, BBC News
Link et al/Biology LettersTeeth marks made on the leg bone of a large avian reptile known as a terror bird 13 million years ago suggest an even bigger predator may have killed it, scientists say.
Terror birds were top predators – they could be taller than a human and had powerful legs and hooked, flesh-ripping beaks.
Palaeontologists in Colombia matched teeth marks on the fossilised leg bone of one of these fearsome birds to a caiman, or a crocodile-like reptile.
3D digital scans of the bites allowed the scientists to reconstruct what they believe was a “battle to the death” that the terror bird did not survive.
Link et al/Biology LettersThe new study, published in the journal Biology Letters, compared the size and shape of the teeth marks to the skulls and teeth of crocodile-like predators in museum collections.
It provides rare evidence, the researchers say, of an interaction between two extinct top predators at the time.
The leg bone the scientists studied was first unearthed more than 15 years ago in Colombia’s Tatacoa Desert.
When the bird lived in the swamps of that area 13 million years ago, it would have been about 2.5m tall and would have used its legs and beak to hold down and rip at its prey.
What the scientists are not able to prove conclusively is whether this particular, unfortunate terror bird was killed in the attack, or if the caiman scavenged its remains.
“There is no sign of healing in the bite marks on the bone,” explained lead researcher Andres Link from the Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.
“So if it wasn’t already dead, it died in the attack. That was the last day that bird was on this planet – then a piece of its leg bone was found 13 million years later.”
Andres LinkThe Tatacoa Desert is home to rich deposits of fossils from an epoch known as the Middle Miocene.
At that time, it was a humid swamp, where river sediments trapped and fossilised the bones of dead animals, resulting in the preserved remains found there today.
This particular bone was first discovered about 15 years ago by local fossil collector César Augusto Perdomo.
The Colombian scientists worked closely with Mr Perdomo, studying and cataloging fossils that he has gathered in his museum. It was when scientists were working in the museum that they realised that this fist-sized piece of leg bone came from a terror bird.
That was an exciting discovery – terror bird fossils are rare. But Dr Link and his colleagues were also fascinated by the puncture marks in the bone, which had clearly been made by the teeth of another powerful predator.
Andres LinkThis new analysis of the marks revealed that they most closely match an extinct caiman species called Purussaurus neivensis, a crocodilian that would have been up to five metres long.
The researchers say it would have ambushed its prey from the water’s edge, much like crocodiles and caimans do today.
“I would imagine it was waiting for prey to to be nearby,” said Dr Link.
If this was indeed a battle between two apex predators, Dr Link says that provides insight into an ancient ecosystem. It reveals that ferocious terror birds were much more vulnerable to predators than previously thought.
“Every piece of a body helps us to understand so much about life on the planet in the past,” Dr Link told BBC News.
“That’s something that amazes me – how one tiny bone can complete the story.”
Crawford, with 41 wins and 31 knockouts, won his first world title in 2014 at lightweight against Scotsman Ricky Burns. He went on to unify the light-welterweight and welterweight divisions before moving up again.
Saturday’s bout will be broadcast globally on Netflix, reaching a potential audience of more than 300 million subscribers.
It is the first major boxing event promoted by White alongside Saudi’s Turki Alalshikh, signalling a new, if uncertain, era for the sport.
As organisers hyped up the new partnership as the saviour of the sport and suggested boxing has been suffering for years, one of its biggest stars – and highest earners with a reported $150m purse to collect on Saturday – Alvarez, chimed in.
“Hey, boxing was always bigger, bigger and big. Don’t say boxing is not big enough. You know how big is boxing,” he said.
Alvarez pushed Crawford as tempers flared at in New York in June, but the two shared a nod and handshake to end on a respectful note.
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Packers vs. Commanders takeaways: Jordan Love, Micah Parsons, Tucker Kraft shine in Green Bay’s statement win
If the Packers used a Week 1 domination of the Lions as a major statement, they backed it up and then some in Week 2. The Packers (2-0) defeated the Commanders (1-1), 27-18, fueled by an explosive, efficient offense and a tremendous defense that seemed to move at a completely different speed than Washington’s offense.
Love finished with 292 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns, with six completions for 124 yards and a score going to Kraft. Micah Parsons officially recorded a half-sack, but his impact was much larger than that, and Green Bay sacked Jayden Daniels four times while smothering would-be pass catchers.
After a slow start — Jayden Reed’s shoulder injury being the main development — Green Bay’s offense got rolling on its second drive, fueled by a 57-yard completion from Love to Kraft after Kraft broke free down the middle. Love connected with Romeo Doubs for a 5-yard touchdown shortly thereafter.
Washington did not manage a single first down in the first quarter — a first since Daniels’ arrival — and Green Bay embarked on another long drive early in the second quarter, highlighted by a remarkable, twisting 37-yard catch from Malik Heath.
Josh Jacobs powered in from two yards out to make it 13-0. Commanders defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. got carted off after trying to block the extra point (which was successful), adding to Washington’s woes. He was later ruled out with a quad injury.
Washington finally got on the board with a 51-yard Matt Gay field goal, but Gay missed a 58-yarder that could have cut the deficit further just before the half. But Green Bay’s Brandon McManus then doinked a 48-yard try as time expired.
Down 17-3 after a McManus field goal, Washington finally found the end zone via a 20-yard Zach Ertz catch-and-run. Green Bay answered, though, with another touchdown drive, this one capped by Love’s 8-yard touchdown toss to Kraft.
McManus nailed a 56-yard field goal shortly thereafter to extend the lead to three scores. Daniels found Deebo Samuel Sr. for a touchdown late, but it proved to be only window dressing — and a costly one at that: Austin Ekeler suffered a non-contact Achilles injury and was carted off the field.
Washington will hope to use the mini-bye to recuperate before hosting the Raiders in Week 3. Green Bay will hope to carry momentum over to a Week 3 visit to the Browns.
Takeaways
Parsons leads overwhelming pass rush
The Commanders know Parsons very well from his time in Dallas, and he just keeps dominating them: He now has 11 sacks in nine career games against Washington.
Parsons’ impact can’t be limited to sacks, though. He drew a penalty and caused a ton of havoc in the backfield throughout the night, even as he remains on a snap count. Washington tried chipping him and double-teaming him, and that only produced middling results. It also produced openings for other pass rushers: Rashan Gary and Devonte Wyatt both had a sack, and Edgerrin Cooper, Karl Brooks and Barryn Sorrell each had a half-sack.
It also wasn’t just the plays the pass rush made. It was the plays it didn’t allow Daniels to make. He ran for just 17 yards, and Washington had just 51 as a team.
The ability to get pressure with just four pass rushers also allowed Green Bay to play aggressively in coverage. Daniels’ 4.8 yards per pass attempt were his lowest in a full game in his career.
Love, Kraft spearhead big-play offense
Love had eight completions of at least 15 yards, spread out to five different receivers. Three went to Kraft, a testament to the tight end’s all-around abilities. He led all tight ends in average yards after catch last year, and he showed off his ability to get downfield, too. He broke several tackles Thursday night, leading to key extra yardage that either moved the sticks or made it a more manageable down and distance.
Love, meanwhile, found plenty of open targets downfield, and even when they weren’t open, receivers often made plays — Heath’s catch is worth watching again and again.
Love also didn’t throw an interception for a ninth straight start, which ties Aaron Rodgers for the second-longest streak by a Packers quarterback since at least 1950. When Love doesn’t put the ball in harm’s way, that usually leads to success: Green Bay is 13-4 in his starts when he doesn’t throw an interception.
Commanders offense struggles to find any success
The 18 points Washington scored isn’t by any means an impressive total, but it’s also perhaps even generous given the myriad issues. Josh Conerly Jr. had a rough night going up against Parsons. It’s been a rude introduction to the NFL for Conerly, the first-round pick our of Oregon, who switched from left tackle to right tackle and has promptly had to face Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Parsons in his first five days of regular-season football.
Conerly’s struggles aside, Washington’s passing attack was anemic; Daniels went 1 for 7 on throws at least 15 yards downfield, with his receivers often blanketed, and Washington’s quick-hitting plays were completely smothered much of the night. Without the threat of the run game, Washington failed to find anything sort of rhythm, and their 230 total yards also marked the fewest since Daniels’ arrival.
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