Paleontologists identify new fruit-eating dinosaur species Infernogallus jamesi from Cretaceous fossils
Researchers from Stony Brook University, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the North Dakota Geological Survey have identified a new dinosaur species that specialized in eating fruit.
Unique chewing muscles found
The fossil analysis shows Infernogallus jamesi possessed specific chewing muscles designed for mashing soft food. This unique muscle arrangement is only seen today in fruit-eating parrots. The discovery was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Skull structure reveals diet
The nearly complete skull and partial skeleton provide clear evidence of this specialized diet. For over a century, scientists lacked sufficient data on the skulls of these animals. The team notes that dinosaurs evolved to fill many different roles in Cretaceous ecosystems.
First known fruit eater
This species represents the first known dinosaur specifically adapted to eat fruit. Dr Gregory Funston led the research project at Stony Brook University. The findings challenge previous expectations about what these animals consumed.
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