New beetle species found in the fossilized feces of ancient dinosaur ancestor

Scientists found several well preserved specimens of a new beetle species inside the fossilized feces of an ancient dinosaur ancestor. Photo by Qvarnström et al./Current Biology


June 30 (UPI) -- Scientists have discovered of a new beetle species preserved in fossilized feces deposited by Silesaurus opolensis, an ancient dinosaur ancestor. It's the first time scientists have found a new insect species inside a coprolite.

Researchers detailed the tiny beetle species, Triamyxa coprolithica, in a new paper, published Wednesday in the journal Current Biology.

Silesaurus opolensis lived some 230 million years ago, around the time some of the earliest dinosaur species appear in the fossil record.

The reptile was not itself a dinosaur, but a so-called dinosauriform. The slender, speedy reptile stood 7.5 feet tall and ate lots of insects, especially beetles.

The fossilized feces described in the new study, which scientists attributed to Silesaurus opolensis, featured numerous beetle parts and several intact specimens -- all representative of the same species.

The well-preserved specimens allowed scientists to compare the new beetle genus and species to more modern genera.

The analysis showed the beetles found in the coprolite belonged to a previously unknown extinct lineage of the suborder Myxophaga. Today, the new beetle's closest relatives colonize mats of algae in marshy environs.

"We were absolutely amazed by the abundance and fantastic preservation of the beetles in the coprolite fragment. In a way, we must really thank Silesaurus, which likely was the animal that helped us accumulating them," study co-author Martin Qvarnström, researcher at Uppsala University in Sweden, said in a press release.

Researchers linked the ancient fossilized feces with Silesaurus opolensis after analyzing the shape, size and contents of the coprolite. Silesaurus opolensis is one of the most well studied dinosauriforms. More than 20 specimens have been recovered from ancient deposits in Poland.

Paleontologists estimate the ancient dinosaur ancestor used its bird-like beak to rummage through the dirt in search of grubs and insects.

Because the newly named beetle species was so small, scientists suspect Silesaurus opolensis was likely targeting larger beetles species that happened to share habitat with Triamyxa coprolithica.

"I never thought that we would be able to find out what the Triassic precursor of the dinosaurs ate for dinner," study co-author Grzegorz Niedwiedzki, a palaeontologist at Uppsala University, said in the release.

Researchers said they hope the discovery will motivate other paleontologists to subject coprolites to advanced imaging and analysis.

Coprolites could help scientists reconstruct the evolution of ancient insects and provide new insights in the diets of extinction insectivores, they said.