The social discussions demonstrate high interest and agreement through phrases like 'a rare find,' 'predation event,' and references to the caiman attacking a ground sloth, which underline the significance of the fossil evidence. Words like 'snagged,' 'attack,' and 'evidence' reflect curiosity and supportive tones, emphasizing the discovery's importance for paleontology and ecological history.
AgreementStrong agreement
Most discussions express strong support and excitement for the discovery of predation evidence, highlighting its significance in understanding prehistoric ecosystems.
InterestHigh interest
The posts show high curiosity and enthusiasm, with many referencing the predator and prey relationship and the rarity of such findings.
EngagementModerate engagement
People are actively discussing details, with some referencing the size of the caiman and its predatory behavior, indicating moderate to deep engagement.
ImpactHigh impact
The discussions suggest that this finding has considerable importance for understanding ancient ecological interactions and predator-prey dynamics.
Abstract in brief
The discovery of tooth marks on a ground sloth's tibia indicates a predation event by a juvenile or subadult giant caiman approximately 4 meters long, highlighting a rare direct interaction between reptiles and mammals in Miocene South American wetlands.
The evidence suggests the young caiman attacked the sloth from its lower hind limb, possibly aiming to subdue or dismember it, which sheds light on its dietary habits prior to achieving its full massive size.
This finding reveals that early in their development, giant caimans may have preyed on terrestrial mammals about the size of a capybara, expanding our understanding of their ecological role in prehistoric wetland ecosystems.]
13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of these interactions is rare - these #BiologyLetters authors present the shinbone of a ground sloth bearing 46 tooth marks: https://t.co/FNdO1WMJZK #FossilFriday https://t.co/Hk25bnF2lv
Nov 12, 2021 · 79 likes · 20 shares · 38,636 followersView post →
RP
Royal Society Publishing
@RSocPublishing · X
13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of these interactions is rare - these #BiologyLetters authors present the shinbone of a ground sloth bearing 46 tooth marks: https://t.co/FNdO1WMJZK #FossilFriday https://t.co/NCYbY6i00y
Aug 27, 2021 · 72 likes · 18 shares · 38,636 followersView post →
E
EliAmson
@AmsonEli · X
Predation of a giant caiman on a giant sloth!!! https://t.co/v0W9qUE7jW https://t.co/2XmAWBgj0X
Aug 27, 2020 · 30 likes · 7 shares · 620 followersView post →
AP
Aldo Benites-Palomino
@paleoAldo · X
14/14
Pueden leer el articulo de la mordida del Purussaurus por F Pujos y R Salas-Gismondi aca:
https://t.co/uFQldaR7j8
y sobre la megadiversidad de crocs:
https://t.co/DaYHcanh52
las ilustraciones de este hilo fueron hechas por Jorge Gonzales y Daniel Peña.
#paleontropica
Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia | Biology Letters https://t.co/BaquRlGqCy
Aug 26, 2020 · 14 likes · 5 shares · 32,084 followersView post →
FC
fernanda castano
@ferwen · X
Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia | Biology Letters https://t.co/dUjtNBQc1C https://t.co/MGR06HT5gZ
Aug 26, 2020 · 12 likes · 3 shares · 2,710 followersView post →
This week on 7 Days of Science, explore black hole mergers, cute baby dinosaurs, and evidence of juvenile caiman preying on ground sloths, revealing ecological interactions in Miocene wetlands.
Today we embark on a journey through time to explore some of Earth's most impressive ancient rivers. We'll examine how these waterways influenced the evolution of life, shaped ecosystems, and inspired historical…
A terror bird leg bone has been discovered with deadly bite marks inflicted by a prehistoric caiman hinting at a brutal prehistoric conflict between two top predators. The evidence sheds light on early predator…
This video explores the interactions between prehistoric predators like Dilophosaurus and giant caimans, highlighting recent findings of predation in Miocene South American wetlands, including early crocodilians preying…
This video explores recent discoveries in paleontology, including dinosaur extinction, ancient predator-prey behaviors, and the ecological dynamics of prehistoric wetlands, shedding light on the interactions and…
The discovery of tooth marks on a ground sloth's tibia indicates a predation event by a juvenile or subadult giant caiman approximately 4 meters long, highlighting a rare interaction between reptiles and mammals in…
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Jun 28, 2023 · 62 shares · 235 followersView post →
?
.
@astrapionte · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Jan 17, 2023 · 62 shares · 1,842 followersView post →
M
Manusuchus
@mmujicam2000 · X
@ComfyCommunism Chomp
https://t.co/7tm8Ao3R1H
Aug 27, 2022 · 6 likes · 2,207 followersView post →
R
Raptorus77
@raptorus77 · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 275 followersView post →
DN
Darren Naish
@TetZoo · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 52,549 followersView post →
EE
Endling Ember
@EndlingEmber · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 680 followersView post →
JM
Jack Milligan
@Pieceofasaurus · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 650 followersView post →
SC
salazar.camilo
@salazarbiol · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 865 followersView post →
荒
荒れクトロ
@gracilis_delta · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 416 followersView post →
さ
さとし工房
@STS17358395 · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 1,836 followersView post →
DC
daniel cadena
@cdanielcadena · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 4,758 followersView post →
む
むさしの化石塾
@musasino_fossil · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 916 followersView post →
LK
Lucas_Kaminski
@LucasKaminski12 · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 379 followersView post →
ビ
ビクーピー
@B47197246 · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 1,897 followersView post →
山恐
山本聖士/恐竜復元教/恐竜異説読も♡
@yamamotoyama555 · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 8,466 followersView post →
らH
らえらぷす@HJ連載中
@GET_AWAY_TRIKE · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Nov 12, 2021 · 20 shares · 5,868 followersView post →
RP
Royal Society Publishing
@RSocPublishing · X
13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of these interactions is rare - these #BiologyLetters authors present the shinbone of a ground sloth bearing 46 tooth marks: https://t.co/FNdO1WMJZK #FossilFriday https://t.co/Hk25bnF2lv
Nov 12, 2021 · 79 likes · 20 shares · 38,636 followersView post →
LS
Lincoln School of Natural Sciences
@UoLLifeSciences · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Aug 27, 2021 · 18 shares · 1,744 followersView post →
K
Kuzco
@Kuzco297 · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Aug 27, 2021 · 18 shares · 283 followersView post →
IK
Ivan Kwan
@Varanussalvator · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Aug 27, 2021 · 18 shares · 1,421 followersView post →
SD
Stephanie Drumheller
@UglyFossils · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Aug 27, 2021 · 18 shares · 1,694 followersView post →
SB
Supanut Bhuttarach (Bell)
@BellSupanut · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Aug 27, 2021 · 18 shares · 35 followersView post →
F
FossilFlex™
@FossilFlex · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Aug 27, 2021 · 18 shares · 337 followersView post →
MR
Manuel Hoyos R.
@ManuelHoyosRod · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Aug 27, 2021 · 18 shares · 239 followersView post →
R
Regedit
@Iluvatar626 · X
RT @RSocPublishing: 13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of…
Aug 27, 2021 · 18 shares · 929 followersView post →
RP
Royal Society Publishing
@RSocPublishing · X
13 million years ago, the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus fed on ground sloths in proto-Amazonian swamps. Evidence of these interactions is rare - these #BiologyLetters authors present the shinbone of a ground sloth bearing 46 tooth marks: https://t.co/FNdO1WMJZK #FossilFriday https://t.co/NCYbY6i00y
Aug 27, 2021 · 72 likes · 18 shares · 38,636 followersView post →
S
Schnellegeister
@T_banzae · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 1, 2021 · 62 shares · 108 followersView post →
T
TyrannoNoddy
@hulitherium · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 1, 2021 · 62 shares · 802 followersView post →
R
RickRaptor105
@RickRaptor105 · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 1, 2021 · 62 shares · 5,849 followersView post →
M
megalizard88
@megalizard88 · X
RT @UglyFossils: #Caimans (and really all crocodylians) aren't the neatest of eaters. This single sloth tibia sports 46 individual tooth ma…
14/14
Pueden leer el articulo de la mordida del Purussaurus por F Pujos y R Salas-Gismondi aca:
https://t.co/uFQldaR7j8
y sobre la megadiversidad de crocs:
https://t.co/DaYHcanh52
las ilustraciones de este hilo fueron hechas por Jorge Gonzales y Daniel Peña.
#paleontropica
A Miocene bonebed in Peru was the crime scene for a predatory attack! A caiman attacked a ground sloth leaving 46 bite marks on its tibia. The caiman wasn't even full grown (~4m long) and could've reached sizes up to 10 m long! https://t.co/UsQQW6FuPc https://t.co/uJAUpjXjXr
Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia | Biology Letters https://t.co/uVt50x1fDt
Aug 31, 2020 · 6 likes · 2 shares · 6,548 followersView post →
Aug 26, 2020 · 25 shares · 6,083 followersView post →
F
FossilFlex™
@FossilFlex · X
RT @ferwen: Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia | Biology Lett…
Aug 26, 2020 · 3 shares · 337 followersView post →
TM
Tom Mortimer
@ToiyiTomMort · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 568 followersView post →
CT
Cameron Muskelly (Explorer of Deep Time)
@PaleoCameron · X
RT @ferwen: Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia | Biology Lett…
Aug 26, 2020 · 3 shares · 11,814 followersView post →
RD
Rafael Delcourt
@RafaelDelcourt · X
RT @TomHoltzPaleo: Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia | Biolo…
Aug 26, 2020 · 5 shares · 7,234 followersView post →
ロ
ロロン
@giganoto764 · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 575 followersView post →
SC
Soy Charlitos
@Flygon_Cumbiero · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 998 followersView post →
PS
Paulo Roberto Melo Sampaio
@prmelosampaio · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 444 followersView post →
QL
queer fish with four legs
@RXTTENFISH · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 317 followersView post →
FC
fernanda castano
@ferwen · X
Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia | Biology Letters https://t.co/dUjtNBQc1C https://t.co/MGR06HT5gZ
Aug 26, 2020 · 12 likes · 3 shares · 2,710 followersView post →
J
joselyx98
@joselyx98 · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 650 followersView post →
T
TheTweetOfRhea
@TheTweetOfRhea · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 44,243 followersView post →
FH
Fco Huei
@FcoHuei · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 213 followersView post →
PW
Prof Anna Williams
@Bonegella · X
RT @UglyFossils: #Caimans (and really all crocodylians) aren't the neatest of eaters. This single sloth tibia sports 46 individual tooth ma…
Aug 26, 2020 · 13 shares · 1,736 followersView post →
C
Castodon
@CastodonPodcast · X
RT @TomHoltzPaleo: Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia | Biolo…
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 522 followersView post →
ZF
Zaka, When the Walls Fell
@zmiller1902 · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 746 followersView post →
TJ
Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
@TomHoltzPaleo · X
Predation of the giant Miocene caiman Purussaurus on a mylodontid ground sloth in the wetlands of proto-Amazonia | Biology Letters https://t.co/BaquRlGqCy
Aug 26, 2020 · 14 likes · 5 shares · 32,084 followersView post →
BB
Bushel of Bush Babies
@venonat_attack · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 50 followersView post →
P
piyawat
@piyawat · X
RT @UglyFossils: A young Purussaurus snagged itself a #sloth snack, 13 million years ago in Peru. #caiman #taphonomy
Aug 26, 2020 · 62 shares · 924 followersView post →
F
Purussaurus uno de mis favoritos pesaba 6 toneladas 12 metros de ...
Facebook
org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2020.0239. GIF, description not available, sent by Cristian Perez. royalsocietypublishing.org. 4 yrs · Profile photo of Ramón · Ramón Maciá ...
20200239. FP, 0000-0002-6267-3927; RS-G, 0000-0001-9990-8841 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2020.0239. Thirteen million years ago in South America, the Pebas ...