New Flying Reptile Found in 100-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Vomit

Scientists have discovered a new species of flying reptile after analysing a rare fossilised regurgitate, commonly referred to as dinosaur vomit. The specimen, dated to about 100 million years ago, was recovered from the Romualdo Formation in brazil/">Brazil’s Araripe Basin. Named “Bakiribu waridza”, the species represents the first extinct animal to be scientifically described entirely from fossilised regurgitated material.

Rare Fossil Discovery in Brazil

The discovery was made in the Santana Group geological formation, a fossil-rich region in northeastern Brazil known for preserving ancient organisms in exceptional detail. Researchers found bones belonging to two individuals of the newly identified pterosaur species along with four fossilised fish inside the regurgitated material. The findings were documented in a study published in the journal “Scientific Reports”, highlighting an unusual preservation process rarely seen in palaeontology.

How Fossilised Vomit Preserved the Species

Unlike typical fossils preserved in sedimentary rock, the remains of “Bakiribu waridza” were discovered inside regurgitated material expelled by a predator. Scientists believe the predator’s digestive system partially processed the prey but did not fully dissolve the bones. As a result, the fragile skeletal remains survived and were preserved for millions of years. Such fossilised regurgitates are known as “regurgitalites” and provide rare insights into ancient food chains.

Possible Predator and Ancient Feeding Behaviour

Researchers suspect that a large spinosaurid dinosaur may have consumed the flying reptile and later regurgitated the remains. The fossil also contained four fish aligned head-first, a pattern similar to the feeding behaviour of modern fish-eating birds. This alignment helps predators swallow prey more easily without choking on fins. The preserved arrangement offers scientists a unique glimpse into prehistoric hunting and feeding habits.

Important Facts for Exams

• Pterosaurs were flying reptiles that lived during the age of dinosaurs but were not dinosaurs themselves.
• The Araripe Basin in Brazil is one of the world’s richest fossil sites for Cretaceous-era organisms.
• The Cretaceous Period lasted from about 145 million to 66 million years ago.
• Spinosaurids were large carnivorous dinosaurs known for fish-eating adaptations.

Unique Filter-Feeding Adaptation of the Pterosaur

The newly identified pterosaur possessed a distinctive comb-like mouth structure filled with hundreds of thin, needle-like teeth. This adaptation allowed it to filter-feed in shallow waters, similar to the feeding strategy used by modern flamingos. By straining small organisms from water, “Bakiribu waridza” likely avoided competition with larger predators. The species thrived in the warm tropical ecosystem of ancient Brazil, demonstrating the diverse ecological roles that pterosaurs played during the Cretaceous period.