100-Million-Year-Old Fossil Preserves an Ichthyosaur That Ate a Pterosaur Before Becoming Food for a Giant Predator

Discover Magazine ^ | Updated August 4, 2026 | Monica Cull

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks to fossilized evidence from Richmond, Queensland, researchers found a marine reptile had eaten a flying reptile shortly before becoming a meal for a larger predator. This is some of the first fossilized evidence of its kind, according to a study in the journal Gondwana Research, and helps us better understand what happened beneath ancient waves over 100 million years ago...

Inside the fossilized belly of a 19- to 22-foot ichthyosaur -- a prehistoric dolphin-like marine reptile -- researchers uncovered something they'd never seen before. Thanks to advanced 3D imaging, the research team found pieces of a pterosaur, a flying reptile, inside the ichthyosaur's fossilized stomach contents.

According to the study, this is the first known evidence of an ichthyosaur consuming a pterosaur. But the ichthyosaur fossil revealed something else. On closer inspection, the ichthyosaur fossil -- which belonged to a Platypterygius australis -- contained huge bite marks, missing pieces, and shattered bones that are consistent with attacks, or perhaps scavenging, from Kronosaurus queenslandicus, a giant predator that ruled the ancient seas in this area.

[SunkenCiv]

Ichthyosaur fossil

Image Courtesy of Dinosaur Experiences Australia

[SunkenCiv]

There ain't nobody there but tastes like chicken.

[crusty old prospector]

I bet they all tasted like rubbery chicken.

[KarlInOhio]

Turduckensaurus

[ProtectOurFreedom]

A quick scan and I read "100-Million-Year-Old Fossil Preserves an Ichthyosaur That Ate a PROFESSOR Before Becoming Food for a Giant Predator"

But which one did he eat?

[Joe 6-pack]

[PUGACHEV]

Queensland is exactly where you would find something like that. In fact, if you looked hard enough, you might find some of those same creatures today, lurking among the cassowaries in the Atherton Tablelands. It’s that kind of place.

[SunkenCiv]

Probably Mary Ann or Ginger.

[Jim W N]

Wait a minute. I think I saw that Ichthyosaur eat that Pterosaur AFTER becoming food for a giant predator...

[Red Badger]

XLNT!.................

[ProtectOurFreedom]

LOL...yum! Tasty!

[Magnum44]

[Honorary Serb]

It was a reptile-eats-reptile world!

[Veto!]

Interesting. But it’s so tiny. I was expecting a 747 size dinosaur’

[DPMD]

I had to read past “100 million year old fossil” to learn it wasn’t about Pelosi.

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[P H Lewis]

My guess is that it tasted pterrible.

[Does so]

Well, I liked it...

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“It’s a Dog Eat Dog world out there...and I’m wearing Milk Bone underwear.” ~ Norm from ‘Cheers’

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ve often wondered if those dinosaur actors in ‘Jurassic Park’ were paid scale, or better? They sure were good! ;)