Fossilized stomach contents show that sauropods didn't chew their food

A group of scientists that were lead by Curtin University in Australia, suggest that sauropods didn’t chew their food. This theory was made possible because of the size of the fossilized stomach contents in the sauropod.

This dinosaur ate a variety of plants from different heights above the ground, such as leaves from tall conifer trees as well as small flowering plants.

The researchers nicknamed the dinosaur Judy. They found out Judy’s diet was what led to her long-term success. While examining the fossilized stomach contents, they suggested that sauropods were bulk feeders due to the size of the pieces. “This means they would not have chewed their food, instead swallowing it whole and letting their digestive system do the rest of the work,” lead researcher Dr. Stephen Poropat explained. This method is used by herbivores today, too.

The food that the sauropod swallowed could stay in the sauropod’s stomach for up to two weeks. This fact could help us understand the impact the sauropod had on the Earth’s ecosystem back then.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/c5yew3dez1zo