Paleontologists have described a new species of small, turkey-sized dinosaur called Infernogallus jamesi that lived alongside Tyrannosaurus rex in the Hell Creek Formation. CT scans of its exceptionally well-preserved skull revealed palatal bones and muscle attachments strikingly similar to those of modern fruit-eating parrots. This arrangement allowed for a front-to-back sliding motion in the beak, specialized for mashing soft fruits and separating pulp from seeds.
The find provides a rare concrete link between the Cretaceous radiation of flowering plants and the ecological diversification of dinosaurs. Whether these animals actively dispersed seeds or merely acted as consumers remains an open question, though the mechanical evidence for their diet is solid. It is a useful reminder that even heavily studied ecosystems still hide entirely unexpected dietary niches.
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