Gastrolith Shape Reveals the Evolutionary History of the Archosaur Digestive System
For a long time, when paleontologists discovered gastroliths inside the abdominal cavity of dinosaurs, they often regarded them as evidence of herbivory. This was because many living herbivorous birds swallow stones and use a muscular gizzard together with gastroliths to grind plant fibers. As a result, gastroliths have long been considered closely associated with plant-based diets.
However, later studies found that many insectivorous, piscivorous, and even carnivorous birds also swallow large numbers of gastroliths. Large accumulations of gastroliths have likewise been found in carnivorous crocodilians and the theropod dinosaur Tarbosaurus, leading researchers to question whether gastroliths can truly be used as direct evidence of herbivory.
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