Were dinosaurs once actually hunted by mammals? A new find made in China in a location known as “China’s Pompeii” may show exactly that. If this is true, it could be that dinosaurs were actually hunted to extinction.
Paleontologists in China uncovered two 125 million year old intertwined skeletons from the Cretaceous period. The skeletons are a badger-like mammal, Repenomamus robustus, attacking a small, beaked dinosaur, Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis. The two animals were found intertwined in a death embrace, with the mammal’s teeth sunk into the dinosaur’s ribs. Their research was published in the journal Scientific Reports
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This is the first time that a fossil has been found that shows a mammal actively preying on a dinosaur.
The discovery of this fossil has challenged the traditional view of mammals as being small, weak, and mostly omnivorous. It suggests that some early mammals may have been more aggressive and carnivorous than previously thought. This could have helped them to survive and thrive during the Cretaceous Period, when dinosaurs were the dominant land animals.
Of course, it’s important to note that this is just one fossil, and it’s possible that this was an isolated incident. More research is needed to determine if other early mammals also preyed on dinosaurs. However, the discovery of this fossil is a significant step forward in our understanding of the evolution of mammals and their role in the Mesozoic Era.
The Mesozoic Era is the second-to-last era of Earth’s geological history, lasting from about 252 to 66 million years ago, comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. It is characterized by the dominance of archosaurian reptiles, like the dinosaurs; an abundance of gymnosperms and ferns; a hot greenhouse climate; and the tectonic break-up of Pangaea.
The name “Mesozoic” comes from the Greek words mesos (“middle”) and zoon (“animal”). It is also known as the “Age of Reptiles” or the “Age of Dinosaurs” because these animals were the dominant land vertebrates during this time.
The Mesozoic Era began with the Triassic Period, which was a time of great upheaval. The supercontinent of Pangea was breaking up, and the climate was becoming warmer and drier. This led to the extinction of many marine and land animals, including the large amphibians that had dominated the Paleozoic Era.
The Jurassic Period was a time of great diversification for dinosaurs. The first birds and mammals appeared, and the dinosaurs themselves became larger and more diverse. The Jurassic Period was also a time of great mountain building, which led to the formation of the Rocky Mountains and the Andes.
The Cretaceous Period was the last period of the Mesozoic Era. It was a time of great warmth and humidity, and the dinosaurs reached their peak diversity. The first flowering plants appeared, and the oceans became home to a variety of new marine reptiles, including the plesiosaurs and mosasaurs.
The Mesozoic Era ended with the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event, which wiped out the dinosaurs and about 75% of all other life on Earth. The cause of this extinction is still debated, but it is thought to have been caused by a combination of factors, including a massive asteroid impact and climate change.
The Mesozoic Era was a time of great change and upheaval, but it also saw the rise of some of the most iconic animals on Earth, including dinosaurs, birds, and mammals. The fossils of these animals provide us with a fascinating glimpse into the past, and they help us to understand how life on Earth has evolved over time.
