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      Dinosaur coprolites and the early evolution of grasses and grazers.

      Science (New York, N.Y.)
      Animals, Biological Evolution, Dinosaurs, physiology, Feeding Behavior, India, Poaceae, chemistry, Silicon Dioxide

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          Abstract

          Silicified plant tissues (phytoliths) preserved in Late Cretaceous coprolites from India show that at least five taxa from extant grass (Poaceae) subclades were present on the Indian subcontinent during the latest Cretaceous. This taxonomic diversity suggests that crown-group Poaceae had diversified and spread in Gondwana before India became geographically isolated. Other phytoliths extracted from the coprolites (from dicotyledons, conifers, and palms) suggest that the suspected dung producers (titanosaur sauropods) fed indiscriminately on a wide range of plants. These data also make plausible the hypothesis that gondwanatherian mammals with hypsodont cheek teeth were grazers.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          16293759
          10.1126/science.1118806

          Chemistry
          Animals,Biological Evolution,Dinosaurs,physiology,Feeding Behavior,India,Poaceae,chemistry,Silicon Dioxide

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