New Pterosaur Species Uncovered in Fossilized Dinosaur Vomit

A remarkable discovery in Brazil has unveiled a new species of flying reptile from the Cretaceous period, identified through fossilized remains found within the vomit of a larger dinosaur. This research, published in Scientific Reports, highlights the unique circumstances that led to the identification of this previously unknown pterosaur species, named Bakiribu waridza.

Approximately 110 million years ago, a spinosaurid, a type of predatory dinosaur, consumed two small pterosaurs and four fish. Following a meal that evidently did not agree with it, the dinosaur regurgitated its meal, leading to the preservation of these extraordinary remains. The name Bakiribu waridza translates to “comb mouth” in the Kariri Indigenous language, reflecting the creature’s distinctive jaws, which were lined with long, broom-like teeth.

These unique teeth functioned similarly to baleen in whales, allowing Bakiribu to filter tiny aquatic organisms from the water. Such specialized feeding adaptations suggest an ecological niche that could have been quite unique among pterosaurs.

The fragile bones of the pterosaurs typically do not fossilize well, particularly after passing through a digestive system. The remains were found cracked and chewed, ultimately preserved as a regurgitalite, the scientific term for fossilized vomit. The arrangement of the bones indicates that the dinosaur consumed the pterosaurs before moving on to the fish, ultimately rejecting this combination for unknown reasons.

While the precise identity of the dinosaur that regurgitated these remains is not definitively confirmed, paleontologists lean toward identifying it as a spinosaurid. This category includes large, semi-aquatic predators such as the Spinosaurus, which is often depicted in media, including the Jurassic Park franchise. Spinosaurids were known to primarily hunt fish but would occasionally prey on other animals, including pterosaurs.

The discovery of Bakiribu waridza not only expands the known diversity of pterosaurs but also showcases the extraordinary potential for fossilized remains to tell stories of ancient ecological interactions. As researchers continue to examine these findings, they hope to uncover further insights into the behaviors and dietary habits of dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period.

This finding emphasizes the importance of paleontological research in understanding the complexities of prehistoric life. It also illustrates how fossilized remains, even those found in unusual contexts, can provide invaluable information about species that existed millions of years ago. The work of these scientists in Brazil opens new avenues for the study of dinosaur ecology and evolutionary biology, reinforcing the idea that there is still much to learn from the remnants of our planet’s distant past.