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Traskasaura sandrae Lived 85 Million Years Ago and Hunted by Diving Over Its Prey with Rare-Shaped Flippers
A fossil found in 1988 has finally had its identity revealed. It is Traskasaura sandrae, a prehistoric marine reptile that lived about 85 million years ago, alongside dinosaurs. The discovery was made on Vancouver Island, Canada, along the Puntledge River.
The fossil was remarkably well preserved, with skull, neck, limbs, and tail. However, one side of the skeleton was degraded, which hindered its identification for decades.
Only with the discovery of a second fossil, from a juvenile specimen, were scientists able to describe the animal’s unique characteristics.
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What Is It About?
Traskasaura sandrae is a type of plesiosaur, a group of marine reptiles with long necks. But this new species draws attention due to its unusual bone structure. Its shoulder opens downward, something unprecedented among plesiosaurs known so far.
Another curious characteristic is its flippers. They are shaped like inverted airplane wings, with the lower side more curved than the upper. This shape allowed the animal to rise quickly in the water while diving, a useful strategy during hunting.
Unlike other aquatic reptiles, which commonly attack while looking up, Traskasaura hunted from above. It would dive over its prey, indicating a rare hunting style in the marine world of its time.
The Creature’s Diet
The diet of this animal consisted mainly of ammonites. These extinct creatures had spiral shells and are relatives of modern squids and octopuses. Traskasaura sandrae had heavy, sharp teeth capable of crushing the shells of its prey.
Even with an impressive size and threatening appearance, Traskasaura was not the largest predator in the oceans. It shared space with other large marine animals of the Cretaceous period.
Extinction of Traskasaura sandrae
The end of this species occurred about 66 million years ago, during the same mass extinction that eliminated the dinosaurs. The impact of an asteroid caused the death of many large animals, including plesiosaurs.
The identification of Traskasaura sandrae helps to better understand the diversity of marine reptiles and reveals how their evolutionary adaptations allowed for new forms of survival. The study reinforces the importance of preserving and analyzing ancient fossils with new scientific methods.
With information from Correio Braziliense.
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