Beetle-like borings in 70-million-year-old titanosaur fossils reshape Lo Hueco fossil story
Research published in Earth-Science Reviews identified beetle-like perforations in titanosaur bones and dermal armor at the Lo Hueco site in Cuenca. These bioerosion structures indicate that carcasses remained exposed for weeks. The findings help reconstruct palaeoecosystems and the fossilization process from the Late Cretaceous.
What changed
New evidence from Lo Hueco fossils shows insect borings in both bone and osteoderms.
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Insect Borings in Lo Hueco Titanosaurs Reveal Late Cretaceous Details
confidence 90%Research published in Earth-Science Reviews identified beetle-like perforations in titanosaur bones and dermal armor at the Lo Hueco site in Cuenca. These bioerosion structures indicate that carcasses remained exposed for weeks. The findings help reconstruct palaeoecosystems and the fossilization process from the Late Cretaceous.
What's confirmed:
- Titanosaur fossils from the Lo Hueco site in Cuenca date to the Late Cretaceous.
- Bioerosion structures in the form of beetle-like perforations were found in titanosaur bones and dermal armor.
- The research regarding these borings was published in the journal Earth-Science Reviews.
Still unconfirmed:
- Tiny borings reveal giant dinosaur carcasses stayed exposed far longer than previously believed.
- Microscopic perforations were created by necrophagous insects.