Abstract

Dromaeosaurids were bird-like dinosaurs with a predatory ecology known to forage on fish, mammals and other dinosaurs. We describe Daurlong wangi gen. et sp. nov., a dromaeosaurid from the Lower Cretaceous Jehol Biota of Inner Mongolia, China. Exceptional preservation in this specimen includes a large bluish layer in the abdomen which represents one of the few occurrences of intestinal remnants among non-avian dinosaurs. Phylogenetically, Daurlong nests among a lineage of short-armed Jehol Biota species closer to eudromaeosaurs than microraptorines. The topographic correspondence between the exceptionally preserved intestine in the more stem-ward Scipionyx and the remnants in the more birdlike Daurlong provides a phylogenetic framework for inferring intestine tract extent in other theropods lacking fossilized visceral tissues. Gastrointestinal organization results conservative among faunivorous dinosaurs, with the evolution of a bird-like alimentary canal restricted to avialan theropods.

Details

Title
Intestinal preservation in a birdlike dinosaur supports conservatism in digestive canal evolution among theropods
Author
Wang, Xuri 1 ; Cau, Andrea 2 ; Guo, Bin 3 ; Ma, Feimin 3 ; Qing, Gele 3 ; Liu, Yichuan 4 

 Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Key Laboratory of Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Geology, Beijing, China (GRID:grid.418538.3) (ISNI:0000 0001 0286 4257) 
 Unaffiliated, Parma, Italy (GRID:grid.418538.3) 
 Inner Mongolia Museum of Natural History, Huhhot, China (GRID:grid.418538.3) 
 China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China (GRID:grid.162107.3) (ISNI:0000 0001 2156 409X) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2737811097
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.