Scientists believe they have discovered the first known case of a mammal being eaten by a dinosaur.
The leg of an animal that lived 120 million years ago has been found in the ribcage of a dinosaur, shedding light on the prehistoric creatures’ diet.
Paleontologists in the United Kingdom analyzed the fossil remains of a small feathered dinosaur known as a microraptor and found that it appeared to have eaten a small mouse-sized mammal.
Scientists said the discovery, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology, was “the first record of a mammal-eating dinosaur”.
A microraptor is about the size of a small cat or crow and would glide from tree to tree to hunt small animals.
Dr David Hone, from Queen Mary University of London, who was first author of the study, said: “It’s so rare to find examples of food in dinosaurs, so any example is really important as it gives direct evidence of what they were ate.
“Although this mammal would absolutely not be a human ancestor, we can look back to some of our ancient relatives who were food for hungry dinosaurs.
“This research paints a picture of a fascinating moment in time—the first record of a dinosaur eating a mammal—even if it’s not as frightening as anything in Jurassic Park.”
Image: Artist’s impression of a microraptor
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Fellow study author Dr Alex Dececchi of Mount Marty College in the US added: “The great thing is that – like your domestic cat, which was about the same size – the microraptor would have been an easy animal to live with, but a terrible , if it had come out, as it would hunt everything from the birds in your feeder to the mice in the hedge or the fish in your pond.”
Microraptors lived in the ancient forests of what is now China, somewhere between 125 and 113 million years ago.
As it moved on its two legs, experts believe that some species may have been capable of controlled flight.
The fossil in question was first analyzed in 2000, but researchers said the previous team had failed to see the remains of another animal inside the dinosaur.
Specimens of microraptors have previously been found with preserved food in their stomachs, such as bird, lizard and fish. However, the researchers said it is not clear whether the dinosaurs hunted these animals or found them dead and scavenged them.
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