New pterosaur discovered in ancient dinosaur vomit
Technology
Scientists just identified a new flying reptile, Bakiribu waridza, from fossilized dinosaur vomit in Brazil.
This is the first tropical filter-feeding pterosaur ever described, and it was found thanks to some seriously ancient regurgitation.
Fossilized spit-up reveals how predators like Irritator challengeri ate meals
Inside the fossilized spit-up were bones from two B. waridza and four fish, showing how predators like Irritator challengeri ate their meals, swallowing pterosaurs head-first before gulping down fish, kind of like today's birds do to avoid choking.
B. waridza helps fill a missing link between other filter-feeding pterosaurs
B. waridza helps fill a missing link between other filter-feeding pterosaurs and shows how these creatures spread across ancient continents.
It's a rare peek into how weird (and connected) life was back in the dinosaur days.