Gastroliths of the Morrison(?) Formation Sanpete Valley, Utah
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Date
1982-06
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
The question of whether dinosaurs utilized gastroliths has been speculated upon for almost a century. Over these years, certain questions appear to have been answered, yet others remain unresolved. The study or gastroliths associated with the remains of marine plesiosaurs, and comparisons with the stomach stones of modern crocodiles, indicates that some ancient reptiles did indeed utilize gastroliths. In marine reptiles, use of these stones is thought to be for hydrostatic purposes rather than for the maceration of food. The use of gastroliths by land-dwelling dinosaurs, however, still remains a mystery. The fossil record indicates that some dinosaurs utilized these stones, yet such finds are rare. What about the polished stones found so abundantly in the dinosaur-bearing beds in areas where skeletal remains are scarce? Evidence from highly polished stones collected from the Morrison(?) Formation in Utah suggests that some of these stones map actually be gastroliths.