Strange beaked 'hell chicken' is the first fruit-eating dinosaur

Live updates

1. 2h ago

   Strange Beaked Hell Chicken Identified as First Fruit-Eating Dinosaur

   Paleontologists have identified Infernogallus jamesi, a newly discovered dinosaur species that subsisted solely on fruit. Researchers from Stony Brook University, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the North Dakota Geological Survey analyzed the turkey-sized creature and found that its anatomy was uniquely adapted for a specialized frugivorous diet. This toothless, parrot-headed oviraptorosaur featured specific chewing muscles designed for mashing soft food. Living during the Cretaceous period alongside ravenous carnivores and lumbering herbivores, this bizarre animal utilized its beak and jaw adaptations to exploit newly evolving flowering plants and their fruit.

   Why it matters

   Until now, fruit was believed to have been completely absent from the diets of dinosaurs, which were primarily known for eating meat and other plant materials. The discovery sheds new light on the ecological niches occupied by small dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period. Researchers studied the jaw mechanics and cranial features of the fossil to reconstruct the dietary habits of the prehistoric bird-like animal.

   What is confirmed

   • Infernogallus jamesi is a newly identified species and the first known dinosaur specialized in eating fruit.
   • The turkey-sized, toothless dinosaur featured a parrot-like head and chewing muscles designed for mashing soft food.
   • The discovery was made by a research team including paleontologists from Stony Brook University, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the North Dakota Geological Survey.

   What to watch next

   • Further fossil analysis regarding the exact Cretaceous ecosystems inhabited by Infernogallus jamesi
   • Additional studies on how fruit consumption influenced the evolution of other small oviraptorosaurs
   Sources used for this update (18)

   1. www.bluesnews.com — Blue's News - All the carnage that's fit to post!
   2. consent.yahoo.com — Latest news and current events updates | Yahoo News Singapore
   3. www.ctvnews.ca — U.S. midterms: Republicans shy away from Trump ahead of vote
   4. www.channelnewsasia.com — NATO general sets out tough military response to any 'foolish' Russian attack - CNA
   5. tribune.com.pk — Houthis say they attacked East-West oil pumping stations; no Saudi confirmation
   6. bworldonline.com — At least 68 people dead in Spain's second major train crash this year
   7. Reuters — Strange beaked 'hell chicken' is the first fruit-eating dinosaur
   8. Newsday — Fruit-eating dinosaur Infernogallus jamesi ID'd for first time by research team with Stony Brook paleontologist
   9. Phys.org — Rare fossil discovery reveals new dinosaur species that specialized in eating fruit
   10. The Times of India — A newly identified bird-like dinosaur from the Cretaceous period may be the first known dinosaur specialised in fruit eating; researchers studied its chewing muscles to reconstruct a diet that differs from the meat and plant foods usually associated with dinosaur
   11. Martin Cid Magazine — A ‘hell chicken’ that lived beside T. rex had jaws made for mashing fruit
   12. Phys.org — Rare fossil discovery reveals new dinosaur species that specialized in eating fruit
   confidence 100%