研究人员通过分析化石咬痕发现，一种名为Purussaurus neivensis的巨型鳄鱼可能是1050万至1600万年前南美洲生态系统中最重要的捕食者1。该物种体长约七米，体重约1800公斤1，其捕食影响力甚至超过同时代的哺乳动物捕食者1。
赫尔辛基大学的研究团队在古代热带生态系统的骨骼化石上发现了大量咬痕，这些痕迹表明Purussaurus neivensis在控制大型食草动物种群中发挥了关键作用1。研究人员Oscar Wilson指出，"可获取的猎物数量之多，使得哺乳动物捕食者无法完全捕食"1，而"新鳄属鳄鱼留下的咬痕频率表明它是这些热带生态系统中的重要捕食者"1。这项研究已发表于《脊椎动物古生物学杂志》1。
Researchers analyzing fossil bite marks have identified a massive crocodilian species as the apex predator of South America's tropical ecosystems millions of years ago.1 The creature, Purussaurus neivensis, measured approximately 23 feet in length and weighed around 1,800 kilograms, making it a formidable hunter in Miocene-era environments.1 Fossil evidence dates the species to between 10.5 and 16 million years ago.1
The study reveals that bite marks preserved on ancient prey fossils point to the giant crocodilian as a dominant force in controlling large herbivore populations across the region.1 According to researchers from the University of Helsinki, the ecological impact of Purussaurus neivensis likely exceeded that of mammalian predators in the same habitats.1 As one investigator noted, "There was so much prey available that mammalian predators couldn't have eaten it all."1 The frequency of bite marks attributed to the species "suggests that it was an important predator in these tropical ecosystems," indicating the crocodilian's central role in the food web.1 The findings were published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology in 2026.1
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