All posts tagged: vomit

Fossil vomit shows what one pre-dino predator hunted

Fossil vomit shows what one pre-dino predator hunted

Published by skeptic

aquatic: An adjective that refers to water. behavior: The way something (often a person or other organism) conducts itself or acts towards others. chemical: A substance formed from two or more atoms that unite (bond) in a fixed proportion and structure. For example, water is a chemical made when two hydrogen atoms bond to one oxygen atom. Its chemical formula is H2O. Chemical also can be an adjective to describe properties of materials that are the result of various reactions between different compounds. crustaceans: Hard-shelled water-dwelling animals including lobsters, crabs and shrimp. CT scan: (Also known as a CAT scan). The term is short for computerized axial tomography. It is a special type of X-ray scanning technology that produces cross-sectional views of the inside of a bone or body. A computer can then digitally assemble the images from these slices to create a 3-dimensional reconstruction of internal features. debris: Scattered fragments, typically of trash or of something that has been destroyed. Space debris, for instance, includes the wreckage of defunct satellites and spacecraft. digest: (noun: …

Oldest fossilized dinosaur vomit discovered in Germany

Oldest fossilized dinosaur vomit discovered in Germany

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Approximately 290 million years ago, a carnivorous dinosaur stomping around present-day Germany had a tummy ache. The Paleozoic predator eventually vomited up its stomach contents, and then hopefully continued to live its best dino life. Unlike most ancient regurgitated meals, this particular mixture of half-eaten prey and digestive bacteria successfully fossilized into what’s known as a regurgitalite. In 2021, paleontologists discovered the extremely rare find while working in the famous Bromacker Permian dig site, about 155 miles southwest of Berlin. As they detail in a study published on January 30th in the journal Scientific Reports, the fossilized regurgitation is the oldest specimen of its kind, and contains a wealth of insights into the still frequently mysterious food chain of terrestrial dinosaurs. What is a regurgitalite? Bones tell researchers a lot about ancient species, but they can’t provide the whole picture. In addition to anatomical remains, paleontologists often focus on other biological samples such as coprolites, aka fossilized poop. But …

Fossilized dinosaur vomit reveals new pterosaur species in Brazil

Fossilized dinosaur vomit reveals new pterosaur species in Brazil

Published by Jenni Sidey

In northeastern Brazil, a fossil that had quietly sat in a museum for decades has now rewritten a small part of the history of life on Earth. Scientists discovered a new species of flying reptile preserved in what they call a regurgitalite, fossilized vomit from a prehistoric predator. The find is remarkable, not just for its unusual preservation, but for what it reveals about the diets and ecosystems of the Early Cretaceous period. The species, named Bakiribu waridza, belonged to a group of pterosaurs known for filter-feeding. Unlike the fierce, sharp-toothed predators usually associated with these flying reptiles, Bakiribu had long jaws lined with closely packed, brush-like teeth. These were designed to strain tiny aquatic creatures, such as crustaceans and small fish, from water. Essentially, it fed much like a modern flamingo. “This was very unexpected, because fossils from the Araripe region have been studied for decades and almost 30 types of pterosaurs had already been found,” said Rubi Vargas Pêgas, a postdoctoral researcher at the Museum of Zoology of the University of São Paulo. …