Since the discovery of the first nearly complete sauropod skeletons in the 1870s, paleontologists have almost unanimously considered these long-necked dinosaurs to be herbivores. Their anatomy — from simple teeth to enormous bodies and small brains — clearly wasn’t suited for hunting. However, until recently, there had been no direct evidence confirming that sauropods actually ate plants.
This changed with a discovery in the Australian outback — near Winton, Queensland — where a group of paleontologists, including myself, unearthed a unique sauropod skeleton nicknamed “Judy.” Inside its fossilized body were traces of food — a first in the history of science.
Judy: A Sensational Discovery in the Dinosaur World
“Judy” turned out to be not only the most complete sauropod ever found in Australia but also the first of its kind with preserved skin and stomach contents. The estimated age of the fossil is around 95 million years.
In the abdominal area of the skeleton, scientists found a strange layer — roughly 2 square meters in area and about 10 cm thick — densely packed with plant remains. This layer was enclosed within the area of preserved skin, suggesting that it represented the dinosaur’s last meal.
Sauropods Ate but Didn’t Chew
Analysis of Judy’s “stomach” contents revealed a variety of plant material:
- Scales from conifer trees (similar to modern araucarias and sequoias),
- Seed ferns,
- Leaves of flowering plants (angiosperms), which in the Cretaceous period were mostly low-growing.
This indicates that Judy fed at multiple levels: both high above the ground (reaching conifer branches) and close to the ground. This combination supports the hypothesis that the diet of young sauropods like Judy may have differed from that of adults.
An interesting conclusion: these dinosaurs’ teeth were barely involved in chewing. Food was swallowed in large chunks and broken down by stomach acid and gut microflora.
Technology Helps Decode Ancient Secrets
To study the stomach area, modern methods were used: X-ray microtomography (in Melbourne and Perth) and neutron scanning (in Sydney). These techniques made it possible to visualize the fossilized plants without damaging the samples.
In addition, small fragments were taken for chemical analysis. It confirmed that the minerals turning organic matter into stone likely originated from Judy’s own tissues, and the fossilization process involved microbes and stomach acids.
New Horizons in Understanding the Giants
Based on anatomical features, Judy was classified as Diamantinasaurus matildae. Until now, scientists had assumed that this species fed on higher vegetation layers. The discovered remains confirm this — and also add that the diet may have included lower-growing plants, especially in young individuals.
Judy’s Legacy
Today, Judy’s fossilized remains — including skin and stomach contents — are on display at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum in Winton. It’s an exceptionally rare and valuable exhibit that offers insights into the daily life of creatures that inhabited the Earth tens of millions of years ago.
And while the idea of putting one’s last meal on display might not sound very appealing, if it would help scientific progress — I suppose I wouldn’t mind.
