Foss. Rec., 21, 55–66, 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/fr-21-55-2018 © Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Eggs for breakfast? Analysis of a probable mosasaur biting trace on the Cretaceous echinoid Echinocorys ovata Leske, 1778 Christian Neumann and Oliver Hampe Museum für Naturkunde – Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany Correspondence: Christian Neumann (
[email protected]) Received: 28 September 2017 – Revised: 16 January 2018 – Accepted: 19 January 2018 – Published: 28 February 2018 Abstract. Fossil biting traces (praedichnia) represent indi- race between predator and prey. Direct evidence of preda- rect evidence of predation and shed light on fossil predator– tion, such as preserved gut contents, coprolites, or regurgi- prey interactions and fossil food webs. Especially from tated masses containing identifiable prey remains are rare and echinoderm skeletons, biting traces are well known. Here, exceptional findings. The study of the signs and traces pre- we describe the oral surface of a large Cretaceous (Maas- served on the hard skeletal parts of prey organisms that reflect trichtian) holasteroid echinoid Echinocorys ovata Leske, predatory behaviour is therefore of exceptional importance. 1778 from Hemmoor (northern Germany) which exhibits These traces (praedichnia) include skeletal breakage, biting four circular punctures arranged in a semi-circular arc. traces, borings, but also regeneration and repair patterns mir- Whereas three of the punctures penetrated the skeleton, one roring unsuccessful attacks. puncture only just hit the margin of the echinoid test at the Among marine invertebrates, the study of predation traces ambitus, leaving a long incision furrow in the skeleton.