It may seem like the stuff of nightmares, but Ludodactylus is a humbling reminder that even the most fearsome creatures can succumb to remarkably undignified fates. Discovered in 2003, the fossil specimen of Ludodactylus provides our only glimpse of this pterosaur. Its well-preserved skull offers a peculiar twist to its story, suggesting that it wasn't taken down by a bigger, badder predator, but rather by a humble plant. That's right, a spiky, lance-like leaf found lodged in its lower jaw hints that the pterosaur mistook the plant for prey, leading to an unfortunate and fatal mishap.

On this occasion, it was stymied by spiky vegetation, but with razor-sharp teeth and a vast four-metre wingspan, Ludodactylus was every bit the airborne terror that would've had prey animals running for cover.