Keichousaurus

MEET THE ANIMAL

Meet Keichousaurus

Keichousaurus hui was a small aquatic reptile from Middle Triassic southern China. It had a small head, long neck and long tail. Computer scans let researchers study delicate bones that are difficult to separate from the surrounding rock, including important details of its skull. [D1]

Some fossils preserve evidence beyond the skeleton. A study found fish remains inside the digestive region, including an articulated fish revealed by scans. This is direct evidence that the reptile ate fish. Damage during digestion makes the fish’s exact identity uncertain, so researchers cannot confidently name the prey species. [D2]

Two pregnant fossils answer another life-history question: this animal gave birth to live young. That evidence comes from developing offspring preserved with adult reptiles. A companion’s decorative egg in a collecting game is a fictional design; it should not be mistaken for how the actual animal reproduced. [D4]

Differences between male and female skeletons have inspired ideas about sexual selection. A large fossil sample also contains unequal numbers of adults assigned to each sex. Those patterns are clues, but they are not a preserved courtship scene or proof of a herd. Researchers must consider how fossils were collected and preserved before explaining an ancient animal’s behavior. [D3]