Overview
- A peer‑reviewed paper published in mid‑August 2026 presents physical bite and tooth marks on La Venta fossils that researchers link to active crocodylian attacks on large ungulates.
- The study analyzed four bones from three megaherbivore species held in museum collections and found circular, bisected punctures and crushed bone concentrated on heads and jaws.
- Researchers identify the likely attacker as Purussaurus neivensis, a caiman relative estimated at over 6 m long and near 1,800 kg, with tooth bite forces consistent with the largest punctures.
- One specimen also bears parallel grooves attributed to the smaller terrestrial crocodylian Langstonia huilensis, which the team interprets as a separate scavenging event.
- The findings support the idea that in the Pebas‑era wetlands large crocodylians, together with other reptile and bird predators, shaped megaherbivore populations and Miocene ecosystem structure.