Paleontologists studying a fossil unearthed in southern Manitoba, Canada, have identified what they believe are two bite marks on the internal skeleton of the ancient giant cephalopod Enchoteuthis, offering rare evidence of predator-prey interactions in the Cretaceous seas that once covered the middle of North America. “In the Mesozoic, cephalopods were one of the most abundant and diverse groups in the marine realm,” University of Manitoba paleontologist Melina Jobbins and colleagues wrote in their paper. “Cephalopods, including coleoids and ammonites, served as a great food source for predators such as marine reptiles and fish.”

Enchoteuthis melanae drifts peacefully amongst a shoal of Baculites. Art by Prehistorica, used with permission. The Enchoteuthinae are a subfamily of large cephalopods from the Cretaceous of North A...

Enchoteuthis melanae drifts peacefully amongst a shoal of Baculites. Art by Prehistorica, used with permission. The Enchoteuthinae are a subfamily of large cephalopods from the Cretaceous of North Ame...