Jurassic lesson in survival: 180-million-year-old sea predator with 100 teeth gobbled stones to stay alive

Scientists have made a startling discovery in Germany, an almost perfectly preserved fossil of a sea monster that lived 180-million years ago. Known as Temnodontosaurus, this giant marine reptile survived against all odds, as is evident by what was found inside its stomach. The study published in the Journal Zitteliana states that it is one of the largest ichthyosaurs to roam the ancient seas. It had 100 teeth, proving that it is a predator. However, what shocked researchers the most were gastroliths, or stomach stones, inside its abdomen. The skeleton carries signs of trauma, that it was attacked. The majority of the injuries are present in the shoulder and jaw joint area, which would have inhibited its ability to hunt fast-moving prey. However, the animal developed a mechanism that helped it live despite the heavy toll on its body.

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It measures an estimated 21 feet and was extremely fast and precise while hunting its prey. Its mammoth size and features likely made it the ruler of the seas. Along with 100 teeth, scientists found a nearly complete skull, lower jaw, shoulder girdle, and spine. Parts of the palate and eye region were also highly preserved, which allowed the researchers to study this giant predator and its life in ancient times. "Our Temnodontosaurus fossil is one of the youngest finds of this ichthyosaur genus to date,” Ulrike Albert, one of the authors, said. "The discovery from Mistelgau now shows that these large marine reptiles survived longer in the Southwest German basin than previously documented," he added.

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The discovery of stones in its abdomen left the scientists stunned. Also known as gastroliths, they are seldom found inside ichthyosaurs. The team of researchers think there is a correlation between the injuries on the body and these stones. The stones seem to be a way for the sea monster to adapt after the injuries changed how it lived. It likely swallowed these rocks, which then worked as internal grinding tools to help the sea dragon break down the food. It also changed its eating pattern, moving from hard-to-capture prey to something it could easily catch and consume. Most of its 100 teeth are heavily worn out, indicating that it struggled to chew its food.

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Why this discovery matters

“The injuries likely significantly limited the animal’s ability to catch prey. The fact that it nevertheless survived is evidenced, among other things, by its heavily worn teeth and gastroliths, which we were able to identify in the abdominal region,” Stefan Eggmaier, a researcher who was part of the study, said. The study also found that Temnodontosaurus lived longer in the Southwest German basin than previously assumed. This forces scientists to rethink when and why certain species went extinct. But more importantly, this fossil is a "data point" for resilience, and shows how top-tier predators adapted their survival strategies to remain at the top of the food chain for millions of years.