Scientists claim first discovery of mammal eaten by dinosaur - The Guardian

It whitethorn person been a pressing fearfulness for the fictional characters successful the 1993 movie Jurassic Park, but scientists judge they person uncovered the archetypal known incidental of a mammal being eaten by a dinosaur.

However, the fossils from 120m years agone are not of a quality ancestor, but alternatively the ft of an carnal wrong the ribcage of a tiny feathered dinosaur, known arsenic a microraptor.

The palaeontologists said that their findings, published successful the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, is the “first grounds of a dinosaur eating a mammal”.

An artist’s content issued by Queen Mary University of London of the small, feathered dinosaur known arsenic microraptor. Photograph: Ralph Attanasia III/PA

Dr David Hone from Queen Mary University of London, who is archetypal writer connected the study, said: “It’s truthful uncommon to find examples of nutrient wrong dinosaurs, truthful each illustration is truly important arsenic it gives nonstop grounds of what they were eating.

“While this mammal would perfectly not person been a quality ancestor, we tin look backmost astatine immoderate of our past relatives being a repast for bare dinosaurs.

“This survey paints a representation of a fascinating infinitesimal successful clip – the archetypal grounds of a dinosaur eating a mammal – adjacent if it isn’t rather arsenic frightening arsenic thing successful Jurassic Park.”

Microraptors lived successful the past forests of what is present China, determination betwixt 125m and 113m years ago.

While it moved connected its 2 legs, experts judge immoderate taxon whitethorn person been susceptible of guided flight.

They were the size of crows, oregon tiny cats, and moved from histrion to histrion to prey connected tiny animals.

The specimen was archetypal described much than 20 years ago, successful 2000, but researchers said the erstwhile squad had failed to spot the remains of different carnal wrong the dinosaur.

Analysis has suggested that the prey was a mammal astir the size of a mouse, which lived connected the crushed and was not a bully climber.

Previous probe has shown different microraptor fossils with preserved non-mammal nutrient successful their stomachs, specified arsenic a bird, lizard oregon fish.