Eat, prey, eat: fossil find in China reveals unusual dinosaur-mammal food chain
A remarkable fossil discovery in northeastern China has revealed a twisted prehistoric food chain – a dinosaur species that devoured a mammal, which itself may have preyed on
dinosaurs
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The findings, detailed in a study published in National Science Review, highlight a complex predator-prey dynamic between dinosaurs and mammals 125 million years ago.
The fossilised remains of Huadanosaurus sinensis – a newly identified compsognathid-like theropod dinosaur – were found in Liaoning province in what is known as the
Yixian geological formation , a treasure trove of Early Cretaceous fossils.
The fossilised remains were found in the Yixian Formation in Liaoning province. Images: Handout
Scientists discovered two small mammals inside the juvenile dinosaur's stomach cavity. One was a eutherian, a distant relative of modern placental mammals. The second was a gobiconodontid, a group that includes the Repenomamus – a badger-sized mammal known to feast on small dinosaurs.
This discovery creates a striking ecological loop. Earlier fossils showed Repenomamus mammals with baby dinosaur bones in their stomachs, suggesting they actively hunted or scavenged dinosaurs. Now it appears that Huadanosaurus turned the tables, preying on mammal predators.
The eutherian in its gut was swallowed whole, indicating Huadanosaurus likely killed its prey with a powerful bite.
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'We describe two new compsognathid-like species, [Sinosauropteryx lingyuanensis] and [Huadanosaurus sinensis] from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation,' the researchers from China and the United States said in a paper in the May issue of the peer-reviewed journal National Science Review.
Compsognathidae are a family of coelurosaur theropods, a group of carnivorous, mostly bipedal dinosaurs that also included the Tyrannosaurus.
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South China Morning Post
11-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
China's dinosaur discovery reveals ancient food chain secrets
A fossil discovery in China shows a complex prehistoric food chain from 125 million years ago. The fossilised remains of Huadanosaurus sinensis – a newly identified compsognathid-like theropod dinosaur – were found in Liaoning province. Scientists discovered two small mammals inside the dinosaur's stomach. One was an eutherian, a distant relative of modern mammals. The second was a gobiconodontid, a group that includes the Repenomamus – a mammal about the size of a badger. The eutherian in its stomach was swallowed whole, suggesting Huadanosaurus likely killed its prey with a powerful bite. This has changed what scientists know about the animals. Earlier fossils showed Repenomamus ate vertebrates. This previous fossil finding and the new study suggest that dinosaurs and mammals in the region may have formed a food web in which they were both predator and prey to each other. Answer: Scientists found the remains of two small mammals, suggesting there was a complicated food web
South China Morning Post
11-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Dinosaur discovery in China reveals prehistoric food chain secrets
A fossil discovery in China shows a complex prehistoric food chain from 125 million years ago. The fossilised remains of Huadanosaurus sinensis – a newly identified compsognathid-like theropod dinosaur – were found in Liaoning province. Scientists discovered two small mammals inside the dinosaur's stomach. One was an eutherian, a distant relative of modern mammals. The second was a gobiconodontid, a group that includes the Repenomamus – a mammal about the size of a badger. The eutherian in its stomach was swallowed whole, suggesting Huadanosaurus likely killed its prey with a powerful bite. Earlier fossils showed Repenomamus ate vertebrates. Previous findings and the new study suggest that creatures in the region may have formed a food web in which they were both predator and prey to each other.
South China Morning Post
24-04-2025
- South China Morning Post
Eat, prey, eat: fossil find in China reveals unusual dinosaur-mammal food chain
A remarkable fossil discovery in northeastern China has revealed a twisted prehistoric food chain – a dinosaur species that devoured a mammal, which itself may have preyed on dinosaurs Advertisement The findings, detailed in a study published in National Science Review, highlight a complex predator-prey dynamic between dinosaurs and mammals 125 million years ago. The fossilised remains of Huadanosaurus sinensis – a newly identified compsognathid-like theropod dinosaur – were found in Liaoning province in what is known as the Yixian geological formation , a treasure trove of Early Cretaceous fossils. The fossilised remains were found in the Yixian Formation in Liaoning province. Images: Handout Scientists discovered two small mammals inside the juvenile dinosaur's stomach cavity. One was a eutherian, a distant relative of modern placental mammals. The second was a gobiconodontid, a group that includes the Repenomamus – a badger-sized mammal known to feast on small dinosaurs. This discovery creates a striking ecological loop. Earlier fossils showed Repenomamus mammals with baby dinosaur bones in their stomachs, suggesting they actively hunted or scavenged dinosaurs. Now it appears that Huadanosaurus turned the tables, preying on mammal predators. The eutherian in its gut was swallowed whole, indicating Huadanosaurus likely killed its prey with a powerful bite. Advertisement 'We describe two new compsognathid-like species, [Sinosauropteryx lingyuanensis] and [Huadanosaurus sinensis] from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation,' the researchers from China and the United States said in a paper in the May issue of the peer-reviewed journal National Science Review. Compsognathidae are a family of coelurosaur theropods, a group of carnivorous, mostly bipedal dinosaurs that also included the Tyrannosaurus.
