Scientists Discovered the Ancient, Unassuming Creature That Invented Salads
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- Tyrannoroter heberti, a large land vertebrate from about 307 million years ago during the Late Carboniferous period, is identified as one of the earliest known land vertebrates to consume plants.
- Analysis of its fossilized skull revealed multiple rows of specialized, conical teeth adapted for crushing and grinding tough plant material, indicating herbivorous feeding habits alongside insect consumption.
- This discovery challenges previous beliefs that herbivory among terrestrial vertebrates only emerged during the Early Permian, showing that pantylids like Tyrannoroter independently developed herbivorous adaptations earlier.
- Tyrannoroter likely had a large gut for breaking down cellulose and a distinctive flat, pointed snout used for digging, suggesting possible
