240-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Coprolites Discovered in Argentina

A 240-million-year-old site in Argentina held thousands of fossilized excreta of Dinodontosaurus, the hefty herbivores, which grew about 8-feet tall. About 94 fossils of the species were found covering each square meter.

"There is no doubt who the culprit was," Lucas Fiorelli of Crilar-Conicet, who discovered the dung heaps, told the BBC. "Only one species could produce such big lumps - and we found their bones littered everywhere at the site."

These clusters of the fecal matter called coprolites were up to 220 million years old. These can help scientists in digging out information regarding the prehistoric diet, vegetation and ailments.

The fossilized droppings are about 40cm in size and heavy. They are oval and smooth in shape and have colors varying from brown-violet to whitish grey, according to the journal, Scientific Reports.

 "When cracked open they reveal fragments of extinct plants, fungi, and gut parasites," said Martin Hechenleitner, a study co-author. "Each poo is a snapshot of an ancient ecosystem -- the vegetation and the food chain."

Researchers found that modern mammals such as horses, elephants and antelopes are found to excrete socially in order to mark their territory to defend them from their predators and to keep parasites from spreading.

"Firstly, it was important to avoid parasites - 'you don't poo where you eat', as the saying goes," Fiorelli said.

"But it's also a warning to predators. If you leave a huge pile, you are saying: 'Hey! We are a big herd. Watch out!"

The researchers aim at finding out more about the prehistoric environment with the help of these droppings.