Paleontologists have studied micropredators, one of the small species of four-winged dinosaurs. Then they found a petrified claw in the predator’s stomach. The researchers say this is the first concrete evidence that dinosaurs ate mammals.

what is known

Microraptor lived in the early Cretaceous period and is believed to have run around trees in search of food on branches and on the ground. These are specific In 2000, bone specimens were found on the territory of modern China and were the first of its kind.. They always lie before the eyes of scientists and keep their secrets. However, it has recently been revisited. Re-examination quickly revealed the mammal’s foot. Some later examples of Microraptor zhaoinus’ stomachs included ancient birds, fish, and lizards, so this find is the only known source of protein for this ancient predator.

It really shows the versatile diet of this little feathered dinosaur. Adding mammals to the menu shows just how unspecialized this dinosaur was.
— says Hans Larsson, a paleontologist at McGill University and the study’s lead author.

The researchers were unable to identify the specific types of animals the dinosaur ate. However, the find expanded the data on the diet of these tiny theropods, still providing a lot of useful information. Generally, in fossil animals, the stomach is extremely rarely preserved, let alone its contents. However, Microraptor turns out to be a very interesting exception to this rule, with a large number of beautifully fossilized specimens preserving assortment of its last meals.

A mammal’s foot does not clearly point to human distant ancestors. team, its It shows similarities with the morphology of ancient early mammalian species resembling opossums or rodents.. The foot belonged to a mouse-sized animal that clearly did not have good climbing skills. This means that the microraptor may occasionally descend from trees to hunt and eat.

The leg looks completely intact and therefore swallowed whole. Exactly how many mammals were ingested is unknown. However, there were several other unidentified bones around the leg in the rib cage, so I suspect most of this mammal was eaten.
– Added Hans Larsson.

Researchers were unable to determine whether the animal was hunted and killed or that the feathered dinosaur had already found it dead.