Research reveals that the earliest-known fruit-eater was an early bird called Jeholornis that lived 120 million years ago, and it may have helped contribute to the spread of the plants that dominate the world today.
Ecological restoration image of Jeholornis bird. (Photo provided to China News Service)
Photo shows the 3D reconstruction model of the skull of Jeholornis bird. (Photo provided to China News Service)
Photo shows seeds preserved in the abdominal area of selected Jeholornis prima specimens. (Photo provided to China News Service)
The early birds were not only able to catch the worm but also to disperse seeds. According to a new scientific study, the earliest-known fruit-eating animal was a bird that lived 120 million years ago, and the existence of such creatures likely contributed to the spread of fruit-bearing plants.
A team of Chinese paleontologists has made a significant discovery by identifying remnants of a vegetable diet in the stomach contents of a 120-million-year-old fossilized bird found in northeastern China. The findings, published recently in the journal Nature Communications, provide direct dietary evidence that the earliest bird on our planet called Jeholornis consumed leaves of plants that produce flowers and bear their seeds in fruits.
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