Predators’ most impressive prey items

[theropod]

It’s not that I’d usually give a lot on such articles, but despite the sensationalism Switek doesn’t actually mention bite marks having been found. He brings evidence for both taxa coexisting (that’s what the source was cited for), and mentions a case were a tooth was found associated with an Alamosaurus vertebra (that didn’t make it into the actual paper describing the Alamosaurus specimens tough), but the text makes no mention of any bite marks being known.

Apparently the one from your second source is the only such tooth mark known:
"The story has one more interesting element. It turns out the Alamosaurus bone mentioned earlier had some grooves which would have come from being bitten after its death.

What was it attacked by? The new species Dalman has identified.

He compared the jaw bone at Amherst College with the grooves on the Alamosaurus bone and they were a match. The bite marks also provide the first evidence in North America that tyrannosaurs fed on Alamosaurus." (click for source →)

So this is actually a fairly recent discovery (December 2014), and if they are right (but I wouldn’t bet on that, popular sources are notoriously eager to describe new tyrannosaur species were there are none) not actually a T. rex.

[Ceratodromeus]

Leopard lizards are neat

Posted these on carnivora:

Some interesting accounts of inverebrates depredating on vertebrates:
We recorded the incidence of predation on snakes by the amphibious freshwater land crab Eudaniela garmani (manicou crab) in the rainforests of the Caribbean island of Tobago during 168 days of field observation (spanning a 4-year period) conducted between the hours of 08.00 AM and 12.00 noon and 21.00 PM and 23.30 PM. Six instances of manicou crabs eating snakes were observed and photographed. Field notes are given for each predation event, and photographs are presented for three of these: clouded slug-eating snake, Sibon nebulata nebulata, three-lined snake, Atractus trilineatus, and vine snake, Oxybelis aeneus. We conclude that the potential predation pressure placed on local snake populations by manicou crabs merits investigation.
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Documented instances of predation on adult hummingbirds in temperate latitudes are rare and predation is not a significant risk factor for adult hummingbirds in temperate latitudes (Miller and Gass 1985). The Tiny Hawk (Accipiter superciliosus) however may specialize on hummingbirds in the New World tropics (Stiles 1978). Even though predation on adult hummingbirds is rarely observed, a variety of predators have been documented, including raptors (Beebe 1950, Lowery 1938, Mayr 1966, Peeters 1963, Sick 1993, Sprot 1927, Stiles 1978), other birds Sick 1993, Wright 1962), mammals (Bent 1964, Sick 1993), snakes (Sick 1993), frogs (Monroe 1957, NorrisElye 1944), and fish (Lockwood 1922). There are also three documented cases of mantid (Mantissp.) predation on adult hummingbirds (Butler 1949, Hildebrand 1949, Murray 1958). All three cases involved the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), and in each case the hummingbird and mantid were separated by the observer. Here I report a case of a Carolina Mantid (Stagmomantis carolina) capturing a hummingbird. On August 22, 2005 while observing hummingbirds in Franklin Mountains State Park, El Paso County, Texas I observed a Carolina Mantid capture and feed on a first-year female Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus). Franklin Mountains State Park covers 9812 hectares within the city limits of El Paso and includes a variety of habitats ranging from desert to mountains up to 2192 m in elevation. Broadtailed Hummingbirds breed and migrate throughout higher elevation areas in West Texas with males moving south earlier than females (Calder and Calder 1992). While observing hummingbirds in an area containing a spring and cottonwoods (Populussp.) and brush attractive to migrant birds, I noted several Broad-tailed Hummingbirds feeding on a flowering thistle (Cirsiumsp.) at approximately five minute intervals. After an hour of continued observation, a shrill squeak attracted my attention to the flowering thistle. Upon closer inspection I found that a Carolina Mantid had clasped a first-year female Broad-tailed Hummingbird, which struggled for another minute before dying (Fig. 1). The mantid started feeding along the neckline of the hummingbird and blood became visible. I continued watching the scene from a distance, and other Broad-tailed Hummingbirds continued to visit the flowering thistle. After feeding, the hummingbirds would hover for a few seconds in front of the mantid and dead hummingbird. When I left the area an hour later the mantid was still clasping and feeding on the hummingbird. This marks an additional documented record of a Carolina Mantid capturing a hummingbird species and one of only a few documented records of predation on adult Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. An earlier report documents a male impaled on a barbed wire fence as a result of either shrike (Laniussp.) or American Kestrel predation (Calder and Calder 1992). The present record also suggests that predation by mantids on adult hummingbirds is not confined to hummingbird feeder or garden settings where most observations have occurred (Miller and Gass 1985). The Carolina Mantid is the most widespread mantid in the United States, ranging from Virginia to Florida, northeast to Indiana and west to California and Mexico (Milne and Milne 1980). Its range overlaps with the majority of hummingbird species found in the United States, most of which are similar in size or smaller than the Broad-tailed Hummingbird and could potentially be predated by Carolina Mantids. Based on this observation and other documented and anecdotal reports predation on hummingbirds by mantids may be more widespread than currently reflected by the published literature.
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Predation on a juvie cane toad
:
on 16 April 2004 a theraphosid spider Theraphosa blondi (84.12 mm) was observed eating a juvenile B. marinus (90.52 mm). The spider was standing over the toad with its chelicerae in the head of the frog. There was a hemorrhage around the bite, and another bite was observed in the gular region. The frog was still alive but motionless when the spider was captured. After two hours, the frog was still alive but the left eye and the right hind limb were paralyzed.

References:
Lorenz, S. T. E. P. H. A. N. "Carolina mantid (Stagmomantis carolina) captures and feeds on a broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)." Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society 40 (2007): 37-38.
Menin, Marcelo, Domingos de Jesus Rodrigues, and Clarissa Salette de Azevedo. "Predation on amphibians by spiders (Arachnida, Araneae) in the Neotropical region." Phyllomedusa: Journal of Herpetology 4.1 (2005): 39-47.

[creature386]

^The bat vs spider pics remind me of something:


Figure 2. Bats caught by spiders.
A - Adult female Avicularia urticans feeding on a Greater Sac-winged Bat (Saccopteryx bilineata) on the side of a palm tree near the Rio Yarapa, Peru (photo by Rick West, Victoria, Canada; report # 1). B - Adult Proboscis Bat (Rhynchonycteris naso) entangled in a web of Argiope savignyi at the La Selva Biological Station, northern Costa Rica (photo by Mirjam Knörnschild, Ulm, Germany; report # 14). C - Dead bat (presumably Centronycteris centralis) entangled in an orb-web in Belize (photo by Carol Farneti-Foster, Belice City, Belize; report # 12). D - Dead bat (Myotis sp.) entangled in a web of Nephila clavipes in La Sirena, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica (photo by Harald & Gisela Unger, Köln, Germany; report # 17). E - A bat caught in the web of an araneid spider (possibly Eriophora sp.) in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica (photo by Cassidy Metcalf, USA; report # 18). F - Live bat trapped in web of Nephilengys cruentata in a thatch roof at Nisela Lodge, Swaziland (photo by Donald Schultz, Hollywood, USA; report # 47). G - Volant juvenile Proboscis Bat (Rhynchonycteris naso) entangled in web of Nephila clavipes photographed in a palm swamp forest near Madre de Dios, Peru (photo by Sam Barnard, Colorado Springs, USA; report # 7). H - Dead bat entangled in web of a female Nephila clavipes in tropical rainforest in the middle of the Rio Dulce River Canyon near Livingston, Guatemala (photo by Sam & Samantha Bloomquist, Indianapolis, USA; report # 11). I - Dead bat (Rhinolophus cornutus orii) caught in the web of a female Nephila pilipes on Amami-Oshima Island, Japan (photo by Yasunori Maezono, Kyoto University, Japan; report # 35). J, K - A small bat (superfamily Rhinolophoidea) entangled in web of Nephila pilipes at the top of the Cockatoo Hill near Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia (photo by Carmen Fabro, Cockatoo Hill, Australia; report # 39). The spider pressed its mouth against the dead, wrapped bat, indicating that it was feeding on it. A Nephila pilipes male also present in the web (K) may have been feeding on the bat as well. L - Dead vespertilionid bat entangled in the web of a female Nephila pilipes in the Aberdeen Country Park, Hong Kong (photo by Carol S.K. Liu from AFCD Hong Kong, China; report # 32).

Nyffeler M, Knörnschild M (2013) Bat Predation by Spiders. In: PLoS ONE 8(3): e58120. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0058120

[full]

Culpeo predation on Guanaco is always impressive:


"While the puma attacks guanacos with stealth and ambush, the culpeo fox chases young guanaco until they drop from exhaustion, a hunting strategy known as “cursorial predation”. The guanaco’s novel defensive response to the culpeo fox is probably due both to the fox’s smaller size and its hunting strategy, which makes flight a useless response.
"


"As opportunistic predators, culpeo fox have been known to prey on lizards, rabbits, birds, rodents, and even sheep. But successfully hunting young guanaco—and surviving attacks from adults—awards this small wild canine new stature."

[Deleted]

[An Goldish Jade]

Yes we all know what Tarantula Hawk Wasp do, but this small wasp have defeated an truly huge Tarantula

But you Tarantula Hawk Wasp are not unstoppable are you?

[Ceratodromeus]

A young Namaqua dwarf adder ate a skink as large as it was


wiredspace.wits.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10539/11213/MARITZ_PhD.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

[Ceratodromeus]

Impressive display from a male african wild dog


"Over the last few weeks, three wild dog have been sighted from time to time around Nanzhila Plains Safari Camp in the Southern Kafue. While there is abundant prey in the area, pressure from larger predators like lion and leopard can push wild dogs out, so we didn’t know how long they would stick around.



Last week on a game drive though, Steve Smith came across a dramatic sighting – a lone male wild dog going up against a lone reedbuck ram. It was one-on-one on the plains. Despite being heavily outweighed, the wild dog was clearly too efficient for the reedbuck ram who, despite his impressive horns, was exhausted from the running and eventually, succumbed.











Clearly this kill was about sustaining the life of future generations of the Kafue wild dog (hence why the male was out hunting on his own) and so although sad, a good reminder of the balance that exists when wildlife is allowed the space and protection to go about their normal lives.

africageographic.com/blog/one-one-battle-predator-prey/

[Ceratodromeus]

Remains of adult and two fawn white tailed deer recovered from the stomach of a 4m Florida burm; the adult was estimated to weigh 45kg, 95% of the snake's mass. Very, very cool stuff

Supersize Me: Remains of Three White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in an Invasive Burmese Python (Python molurus bivittatus) in Florida
Abstract
Snakes have become successful invaders in a wide variety of ecosystems worldwide. In southern Florida, USA, the Burmese python (Python
molurus bivittatus) has become established across thousands of square kilometers including all of Everglades National Park (ENP). Both
experimental and correlative data have supported a relationship between Burmese python predation and declines or extirpations of mid- to
large-sized mammals in ENP. In June 2013 a large python (4.32 m snout-vent length, 48.3 kg) was captured and removed from the park.
Subsequent necropsy revealed a massive amount of fecal matter (79 cm in length, 6.5 kg) within the snake’s large intestine. A comparative
examination of bone, teeth, and hooves extracted from the fecal contents revealed that this snake consumed three white-tailed deer
(Odocoileus virginianus). This is the first report of an invasive Burmese python containing the remains of multiple white-tailed deer in its
gut. Because the largest snakes native to southern Florida are not capable of consuming even mid-sized mammals, pythons likely represent a
novel predatory threat to white-tailed deer in these habitats. This work highlights the potential impact of this large-bodied invasive snake and
supports the need for more work on invasive predator-native prey relationships.

"We used the relationship between hoof sheath
length and body weight for six Odocoileus virginianus
of varying sizes (23–80 kg) collected from Alabama
and Pennsylvania to estimate the body mass of each
deer consumed by the python. From these limited data,
we estimated that the three deer consumed by this
python would have had live weights of approximately
45, 17, and 13 kg, respectively. "



scholar.dickinson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1611&context=faculty_publications

[theropod]

Sept 20, 2019 17:22:57 GMT 5 dinosauria101 said:

NOTE TO MODS: I couldn't find any thread where this fit best, so I made a new one, but if you think this belongs elsewhere feel free to move it

Post any examples of macropredation from any animal here

We have this thread for that.

[creature386]

Thanks for pointing that out. I deleted dinosauria's thread, since the quote in your post was its only content.

[dinosauria101]

Completely forgot about this thread.

Here's a very impressive account of a leopard killing an eland roughly 10 times its weight:
"Elliot (in Cullen 1969) was shown a fully grown Eland Bull that was killled by a large leopard. By back-tracking he found the Eland was one of a herd that was passing along a track in a cedar forest.

"The leopard had jumped on the eland bull from a tree above the track, and the victim had at once dashed downhill. The eland had fallen down twice but had managed to get on to its feet again. But on the third occassion the leopard had succeeded in holding the animal down and finally killing it. In the downhill rush and whole struggle the leopard had lost a lot of hair on trees and bushes. It had seemed that the leopard had managed to kill the eland by biting into the windpipe area, and suffocation was thought to be the main cause of death. Damage to the elands neck vertabrae must have occured during its repeated falls. While the only tooth marks were on the elands throat, there were many claw marks on the flanks, and it seemed the leopard had been on top of the eland all the way down. The warden put half the eland carcass in a nearby tree and - and the following evening - spotted the biggest leopard he had ever seen, with its forehead all bare and bloody. From all the evidence it was certain that the leopard had killed the bull eland without assistance.

In this instance, the size of the prey far exceeded the normal, but the instance illustrates what an accomplished killer the leopard can be. On another occassion a female eland was found felled by a leopard within twelve meters of being pounced upon; in this case the claws were imbedded in the neck and the teeth in the nose."

East African Mammals By Jonathan Kingdon

[sam1]

Apr 28, 2015 19:21:35 GMT 5 Creeper said:

Bullfrogs eat some pretty impressive things for their size.

Epomis beetle larvae says hello.

[dinosauria101]

Oct 16, 2019 14:49:25 GMT 5 sam1 said:

Apr 28, 2015 19:21:35 GMT 5 Creeper said:

Bullfrogs eat some pretty impressive things for their size.

Epomis beetle larvae says hello.

I second that. They're very good frog predators but never get eaten

[Ceratodromeus]

Posted in the news thread but it can go here


First observations of white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) attacking a live humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)



Abstract
To date, white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) feeding events involving large whales have largely been described only in terms of observed scavenging events. Scavenging occurs in all ecosystems and is usually associated with stochastic feeding events. In marine ecosystems, whale carcasses commonly provide these community-wide food web events. Whale carcasses are the single largest source of carrion in marine ecosystems, to the extent that they are thought to constitute an important part of large white shark foraging ecology, shaping many aspects of the life history of the sharks, including adult migrations. However, to date, no part of this white shark feeding event has been described involving a live whale. To the best of our knowledge, here we provide the first published description of white sharks attacking and killing a live humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The attack displayed novel behaviours, including evidence of the ‘bite and spit’ tactic, rarely described in non-pinniped-related white shark feeding events before and all part of a tactical timeline of an attack that is precise, deliberate and effective.
scihub.bban.top/https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19291