Archaeologists Unearth Fossil of Dinosaur and Badger-like Mammal in Epic Battle

Archaeologists have unearthed an amazing fossil of a dinosaur and a badger-like mammal in an eternal fight to the death.

125-Million-Year-Old Fossil Reveals Epic Battle

The 125-million-year-old fossil captures the dramatic moment when a large herbivorous dinosaur was attacked by a carnivorous mammal.

Mammals Attacking Dinosaurs

This is one of the earliest evidence that mammals attacked larger dinosaurs, not just their young.

The Parrot Lizard and the Badger-like Beast

The dinosaur, found in a well-preserved fossil, is a type of Psittacosaurus about the size of a large dog and about 120 cm long. Its name means “parrot lizard.”

Meanwhile, the mammal in the fossil pair is represented by a badger-like animal named Repenomamus robustus, which was about 47 cm long.

R. robustus was one of the largest mammals of the Cretaceous period when dinosaurs ruled.

A Remarkable Fossil Discovery

The fossil was found in the Chinese province of Liaoning, and both skeletons are nearly intact.

In the fossil image, the mammal sits on its prey, clenching the jaws of a larger dinosaur.

It can also be seen biting into the dinosaur’s ribs, using its hind leg to grab the dinosaur’s hind leg.

It is believed that the duo were suddenly buried under landslides and debris after the volcanic eruption.

A Glimpse into Prehistoric Predatory Behavior

Dr. Jordan Mallon, co-author of the study at the Canadian Museum of Nature, said: “Two animals engaged in a deadly fight so closely intertwined that this is one of the first evidence showing the behavior of a real predatory mammal against dinosaur. The coexistence of these two animals is not new, but what is new in science with this amazing fossil is the predatory behavior of the animals that the fossil demonstrates.”

Publication and Source

The results are published in Scientific Reports.

Source: Daily Mail