All articles tagged with #predation
Driver ants form nomadic colonies that can exceed a million workers and hunt almost continuously because they cannot store food; raiding parties are led by soldiers with oversized heads and scissor-like mandibles that dismantle prey from insects to small vertebrates, and their aggressive foraging can even threaten humans.
Paleontologists describe a nearly complete Edmontosaurus skull with a Tyrannosaurus tooth embedded in its snout and bite marks suggesting a fatal, close-range encounter. CT analysis indicates the tooth broke off during the attack, with the Edmontosaurus unlikely to survive; size estimates point to an adult T. rex with about a 1-meter-long skull. The find provides rare direct fossil evidence of predation and feeding behavior in large theropods, showing T. rex likely hunted and scavenged during its life.
Researchers in Italy captured on video the first-known instance of a red fox entering a wolf den, grabbing a wolf pup and likely killing it—an opportunistic attack that shows mesocarnivores can directly affect an apex predator’s reproductive success; the incident occurred while adult wolves were away hunting, and the den was later relocated, though it’s unclear how common such interactions are.
Live Science reports two washed-up orca dorsal fins from southern resident orcas found on Russia’s Bering Island, each bearing distinctive killer-whale tooth marks. Genetic testing links the fins to southern residents, while researchers say mammal-eating Bigg’s killer whales may have preyed on them, suggesting occasional cannibalism. The study posits that predation pressure by Bigg’s could help explain why resident, fish-eating orcas form large, protective family groups, though some scientists urge caution and note scavenging or other explanations could account for the marks.
The study shows that oyster recruit survival is maximized not just by surface area but by specific 3D reef architectures. By creating 16 artificial habitats that span fractal dimension and height range and testing them with and without predator access across three estuaries, researchers found a hump-shaped recruitment response driven by predator mediation. Optimal values (fractaI dimension ~2.41, height ~7.96 cm) yielded ~35% higher oyster densities than less favorable configurations, and natural reefs clustered near these optima, offering a blueprint for restoration that integrates geometry with ecosystem engineering to enhance reef persistence.
Reconstructing a detailed Jurassic ecosystem from Dry Mesa Quarry fossils shows that baby sauropods were abundant prey, forming many predator links and feeding carnivores like Allosaurus and Torvosaurus. This plentiful supply may have kept top predators smaller for a time and influenced later evolutionary shifts toward larger hunters such as Tyrannosaurus rex.
A pod of orcas in the Gulf of California has been observed hunting and devouring the livers of young great white sharks, indicating that orca predation on these sharks may be more common than previously thought, showcasing their advanced hunting strategies and social learning.
Researchers observed orcas in the Gulf of California repeatedly attacking juvenile great white sharks by flipping them upside down to induce tonic immobility, then extracting their livers, revealing a new and strategic predation behavior in this region.
Scientists used high-speed cameras to capture in unprecedented detail how venomous snakes strike their prey, revealing that most vipers bite within 0.1 seconds, and different snake families employ various attack strategies, enhancing understanding of snake predation mechanics.
Scientists have documented for the first time a bat, specifically the greater noctule bat in Europe, catching and eating a bird in midair during migration, revealing an unexpected predator of high-altitude migrating birds.
Scientists used tiny backpacks with microphones and sensors to confirm that Europe's largest bat, the greater noctule, hunts and eats songbirds mid-flight, revealing a fighter jet-like pursuit behavior and providing insights into their feeding habits and conservation needs.
New research suggests Homo habilis was hunted by leopards, challenging the idea that it was the first human species to become an apex predator, and instead indicating it was more prey than predator, with Homo erectus possibly being the first to dominate the food chain.
Researchers have discovered that slingshot spiders, found along Ohio's riverbanks, use a unique hunting technique similar to Roman gladiators by launching their webs at prey using sound detection. These spiders can detect the sound of approaching insects, like mosquitoes, and release their webs with remarkable speed and precision, intercepting prey in just 38 milliseconds. The study highlights the spiders' ability to compare vibrations through their webs and the air to accurately target their prey.
New research has documented how an orca pod off the coast of Mexico hunts whale sharks, the world's largest fish. The orcas use a strategic method to flip the sharks belly-up, inducing a state of tonic immobility, before targeting their nutrient-rich livers. This behavior, captured in images and videos, marks the first detailed observation of orcas preying on whale sharks, suggesting a potential new ecotype in the Gulf of California. Despite the predation, there are no significant impacts on the whale shark population in the area.
Killer whales have been observed hunting whale sharks and consuming their livers, showcasing their sophisticated hunting techniques and dietary preferences. This behavior highlights the orcas' adaptability and intelligence in targeting specific prey for nutrient-rich organs.