Prehistoric owls: New study theorises that a pterosaur species vomited undigested food as a pellet
- The pterosaur lived during the Jurassic period in what is now northern China
- The scientists found two examples of pterosaurs fossilised next to what they believe are regurgitated food pellets
For many young schoolchildren, a highlight of their education is dissecting owl pellets to unearth the undigested remains of their preys.
“It probably vomited the pellets, indicating the presence of two-part stomachs and efficient antiperistalsis in both juveniles and adults,” the team wrote in the report. Antiperistalsis are stomach contractions that force digested food out of the mouth rather than the normal direction for digestion.
One pterosaur was found near smaller pellets, ranging between 10-12mm in diameter, while another specimen featured a longer pellet, about 42mm in length and 16mm across. The presence of fish scales led the scientists to theorise that they are fossilised pellets, called emetolites, and not faeces, known as coprolites.