76-Million-Year-Old Pterosaur Fossil Reveals Crocodilian Bite Mark

The rare discovery in Alberta, Canada, provides new insights into predator-prey dynamics of the Cretaceous Period.

Paleontologists found a juvenile Cryodrakon boreas neck bone with a crocodilian bite mark in Alberta's Dinosaur Provincial Park.
The fossil, dated to 76 million years ago, shows a 4-mm-wide puncture likely caused by a crocodilian such as Leidyosuchus canadensis.
Researchers used micro-CT scans to confirm the bite mark was not due to fossilization or excavation damage.
This is the first documented evidence in North America of crocodilians preying on or scavenging pterosaurs, with previous examples found in Romania.
The study highlights the delicate nature of pterosaur fossils and their ecological interactions in prehistoric ecosystems.