Title: Ancient Fossil in China Reveals Early Mammal Hunting Prehistoric Dinosaurs
Date: July 19, 2023
By: Associated Press
An extraordinary fossil discovery in China has indicated that some early mammals may have hunted dinosaurs as prey. The fossil, found at a site known as “China’s Pompeii,” showcases a badger-like creature feasting on a small, beaked dinosaur, with their intertwined skeletons preserved in stone.
Described in a recent issue of the journal Scientific Reports, the fossil dates back approximately 125 million years ago, during the Cretaceous period. Despite its smaller size, researchers believe that the mammal was in the midst of attacking the dinosaur when both of them got caught in a volcanic flow that ultimately buried them.
University of Edinburgh paleontologist Steve Brusatte, who was not involved in the study, described the find as a “prehistoric hunt, captured in stone, like a freeze frame.” This fossil challenges previous assumptions that mammals were merely scavengers of dead dinosaurs. Another fossil had previously shown a mammal with dinosaur remains in its gut, but this new discovery suggests that mammals actively preyed on dinosaurs that were several times their size.
Jordan Mallon, the study’s author and a paleobiologist at the Canadian Museum of Nature, stated that he had never seen a fossil like this before. The remarkable find now contradicts the conventional belief that dinosaurs ruled the world during the Age of Dinosaurs, with small mammals lurking in the shadows.
The authenticity of the fossil was a concern due to known fossil forgeries in the area. However, after conducting their own thorough analysis of the skeletons and rock samples, the researchers feel confident that the fossil, discovered by a farmer in 2012, is genuine. They welcome other scientists to further study the fossil as well.
The mammal in the fossil duo has been identified as a Repenomamus robustus, which was approximately the size of a house cat. The dinosaur, known as Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis, was about the size of a medium-sized dog and had a parrotlike beak. Although this dinosaur species was a plant eater, other dinosaurs were carnivorous or omnivorous. Ultimately, the findings suggest that dinosaurs may have been preyed upon by mammals more frequently than previously believed.
Mallon concludes by saying that while dinosaurs may have still consumed mammals more often, this discovery reveals that the early mammals were able to fight back against their larger counterparts. This groundbreaking fossil provides significant insight into the interactions and dynamics between mammals and dinosaurs during the prehistoric era.