PubHawk
March 2022 PMID 35125005

Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China: showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs.

Shunxing Jiang, Xiaoli Wang, Xiaoting Zheng, Xin Cheng, Xiaolin Wang, Guangjin Wei, Alexander W A Kellner

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Mentions

42
Peak: 16 in Feb 2022
across 6 sources since Feb 2022

Extended reach

2,125,510
potential audience

Total likes

574

Video views

11,702

Mentions per month

Feb 2022 – Aug 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter27 posts
  • News6 articles
  • Facebook3 posts
  • Blogs3 articles
  • YouTube2 videos
  • Bluesky1 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The posts show a strong overall agreement with the publication, especially noting its novel evidence for antiperistalsis, exemplified by comments about fossil finds and pterosaur feeding behaviors. Words like 'first evidence' and phrases such as 'paleontology is seeing animals at their worst' highlight curiosity and respect for the research, which collectively indicate high interest and moderate engagement with meaningful impact.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions support the findings, acknowledging the significance of the evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs.

InterestHigh interest

Posts demonstrate high curiosity and enthusiasm about the research and related paleontological facts.

EngagementModerate engagement

Some comments reference specific aspects like fossil discoveries and the implications for pterosaur biology, indicating moderate engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

The discussions reflect recognition of the study's importance in understanding dinosaur digestion and evolutionary processes.

Abstract in brief

  • The study reports two pterosaur fossils from the Late Jurassic of China, each with fossilized gastric pellets called emetolites that contain fish scales, indicating these pterosaurs were fish-eaters (piscivores).
  • The presence of these stomach pellets suggests that these pterosaurs had a two-part stomach and used a process called antiperistalsis (reverse muscle contractions) to vomit and expel their fish prey, showing advanced digestion capabilities in both juvenile and adult pterosaurs.
  • By analyzing the fish scales in the pellets, researchers inferred that juveniles preyed on smaller fish while adults fed on larger ones, implying they might have targeted different prey sizes as they grew, revealing aspects of their feeding behavior during development.
Read the full abstract

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Natalia Jagielska
@nataliajagielska.bsky.social · Bluesky

Q: Pterosaur "fun fact" We have a baby (barely 6 cm long skull) Kunpengopterus pterosaur preserved surrounded by its own vomit. Doing palaeontology is seeing animals at the worst points in their lives.

Aug 9, 2025 · 132 likes · 31 shares View post →
China Science
@ChinaScience · X

Two emetolites, fossilized gastric pellets, of two pterosaurs from the Late Jurassic Yanliao Biota of China were found to contain ganoid scales, confirming the pterosaur was a piscivore and showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs. https://t.co/phENoMeDnq https://t.co/zJ0u8eNPR1

Feb 17, 2022 · 42 likes · 2 shares · 1,991,623 followers View post →
パンテオン（半遁モード）
@pantheo27705718 · X

１億６千万年前の翼竜、タラ科の魚を主食にしていた 中国の科学者が発見 論文 https://t.co/AtlH4ckvZx https://t.co/rgBN6yYeul @afpbbcomより

Apr 1, 2022 · 24 likes · 6 shares · 12,887 followers View post →
Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
@TomHoltzPaleo · X

Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China: showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences https://t.co/9GFuwyMKKN

Feb 7, 2022 · 11 likes · 2 shares · 31,842 followers View post →
Royal Society Publishing
@RSocPublishing · X

Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China - showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs: https://t.co/Pk324CZKBM #PhilTransB #palaeontology #FossilFriday https://t.co/4yMxOqkKEd

Apr 22, 2022 · 5 likes · 3 shares · 38,700 followers View post →
Ken Tsuchiya
@paleont_kt · X

翼竜の「ペリット（未消化物を固めて吐き出したもの）」の化石を初発見、という記事→ https://t.co/ZcEd6A7dpJ 。タラを餌にしていたことを推測、と。 論文はこれかな（英語ですが無料）→ https://t.co/icF8PjNFVX 。

Feb 17, 2022 · 5 likes · 2 shares · 6,670 followers View post →

All mentions

Natalia Jagielska
@nataliajagielska.bsky.social · Bluesky

Q: Pterosaur "fun fact" We have a baby (barely 6 cm long skull) Kunpengopterus pterosaur preserved surrounded by its own vomit. Doing palaeontology is seeing animals at the worst points in their lives.

Aug 9, 2025 · 132 likes · 31 shares View post →
See also JDzed at clacks.link and bsky.social
@JayDzed · X

@WryCritic: Woohoo! Your paper (and art!) used in a rather belated video discussing what was new in Paleontology in Feb this year! *cheers* https://t.co/TDlkXM7ql2

Apr 28, 2022 · 333 followers View post →
♋
@ajp0442 · X

Liked on YouTube: Paleontology Review February 2022 https://t.co/iX4dZg3Kqi

Apr 25, 2022 · 102 followers View post →
Jason Gilchrist
@jgilchrist13 · X

RT @RSocPublishing: Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China - showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis i…

Apr 22, 2022 · 3 shares · 2,681 followers View post →
Gordon Neighbour
@CornubiaGeol · X

RT @RSocPublishing: Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China - showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis i…

Apr 22, 2022 · 3 shares · 3,659 followers View post →
Royal Society Publishing
@RSocPublishing · X

Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China - showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs: https://t.co/Pk324CZKBM #PhilTransB #palaeontology #FossilFriday https://t.co/4yMxOqkKEd

Apr 22, 2022 · 5 likes · 3 shares · 38,700 followers View post →
y.araumi
@kaosdrake · X

RT @pantheo27705718: １億６千万年前の翼竜、タラ科の魚を主食にしていた 中国の科学者が発見 論文 https://t.co/AtlH4ckvZx https://t.co/rgBN6yYeul @afpbbcomより

Apr 1, 2022 · 6 shares · 322 followers View post →
Chauliodus
@ophiacodon · X

RT @pantheo27705718: １億６千万年前の翼竜、タラ科の魚を主食にしていた 中国の科学者が発見 論文 https://t.co/AtlH4ckvZx https://t.co/rgBN6yYeul @afpbbcomより

Apr 1, 2022 · 6 shares · 613 followers View post →
みずちん@創作じゃない方
@miz_chin · X

RT @pantheo27705718: １億６千万年前の翼竜、タラ科の魚を主食にしていた 中国の科学者が発見 論文 https://t.co/AtlH4ckvZx https://t.co/rgBN6yYeul @afpbbcomより

Apr 1, 2022 · 6 shares · 702 followers View post →
ｶﾞｲｽ
@shitake_reverse · X

RT @pantheo27705718: １億６千万年前の翼竜、タラ科の魚を主食にしていた 中国の科学者が発見 論文 https://t.co/AtlH4ckvZx https://t.co/rgBN6yYeul @afpbbcomより

Apr 1, 2022 · 6 shares · 3,457 followers View post →
$.inequali$ sitting on fence
@sinequalis · X

RT @pantheo27705718: １億６千万年前の翼竜、タラ科の魚を主食にしていた 中国の科学者が発見 論文 https://t.co/AtlH4ckvZx https://t.co/rgBN6yYeul @afpbbcomより

Apr 1, 2022 · 6 shares · 391 followers View post →
パンテオン（半遁モード）
@pantheo27705718 · X

１億６千万年前の翼竜、タラ科の魚を主食にしていた 中国の科学者が発見 論文 https://t.co/AtlH4ckvZx https://t.co/rgBN6yYeul @afpbbcomより

Apr 1, 2022 · 24 likes · 6 shares · 12,887 followers View post →
Akiko
@akiko_iijima · X

RT @paleont_kt: 翼竜の「ペリット（未消化物を固めて吐き出したもの）」の化石を初発見、という記事→ https://t.co/ZcEd6A7dpJ 。タラを餌にしていたことを推測、と。 論文はこれかな（英語ですが無料）→ https://t.co/icF8PjNF…

Feb 17, 2022 · 2 shares · 1,083 followers View post →
田中順也@古生物のしたたかな生き方
@tanituki · X

RT @paleont_kt: 翼竜の「ペリット（未消化物を固めて吐き出したもの）」の化石を初発見、という記事→ https://t.co/ZcEd6A7dpJ 。タラを餌にしていたことを推測、と。 論文はこれかな（英語ですが無料）→ https://t.co/icF8PjNF…

Feb 17, 2022 · 2 shares · 2,137 followers View post →
車力ピーク
@G26zy3H8U0bddjt · X

RT @paleont_kt: 翼竜の「ペリット（未消化物を固めて吐き出したもの）」の化石を初発見、という記事→ https://t.co/ZcEd6A7dpJ 。タラを餌にしていたことを推測、と。 論文はこれかな（英語ですが無料）→ https://t.co/icF8PjNF…

Feb 17, 2022 · 2 shares · 38 followers View post →
Ken Tsuchiya
@paleont_kt · X

翼竜の「ペリット（未消化物を固めて吐き出したもの）」の化石を初発見、という記事→ https://t.co/ZcEd6A7dpJ 。タラを餌にしていたことを推測、と。 論文はこれかな（英語ですが無料）→ https://t.co/icF8PjNFVX 。

Feb 17, 2022 · 5 likes · 2 shares · 6,670 followers View post →
Rosu Gheorghe
@RosuGheorghe5 · X

RT @ChinaScience: Two emetolites, fossilized gastric pellets, of two pterosaurs from the Late Jurassic Yanliao Biota of China were found to…

Feb 17, 2022 · 2 shares · 605 followers View post →
China Science
@ChinaScience · X

Two emetolites, fossilized gastric pellets, of two pterosaurs from the Late Jurassic Yanliao Biota of China were found to contain ganoid scales, confirming the pterosaur was a piscivore and showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs. https://t.co/phENoMeDnq https://t.co/zJ0u8eNPR1

Feb 17, 2022 · 42 likes · 2 shares · 1,991,623 followers View post →
Alavya Dhungana
@CambrianOddity · X

Pterosaurs, like birds, regurgitate indigestible prey: https://t.co/3UmZU0iGD4 https://t.co/LNb6HWC8Pc

Feb 16, 2022 · 1 like · 140 followers View post →
とよけらとぷす
@rex_toyo · X

論文へのリンク https://t.co/RJU0792GhH

Feb 10, 2022 · 2,152 followers View post →
青柳
@FBWM8888 · X

RT @TomHoltzPaleo: Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China: showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in…

Feb 9, 2022 · 2 shares · 731 followers View post →
alfred fischer
@alfredfischer17 · X

So wie Eulen z.B. würgten auch Pterosaurier die unverdaulichen Anteile der Beute wieder aus. #evolution #jura #dinosaur #antiperistalsis #greifvogel #gewöll https://t.co/enKZGszhPj

Feb 9, 2022 · 1 like · 360 followers View post →
FossilFlex™
@FossilFlex · X

RT @Palaeotaku: @sketchy_as_fork The paper was out 2 days ago: https://t.co/btjZPFIVGl

Feb 9, 2022 · 1 share · 339 followers View post →
JH
@JHemiptera · X

@sketchy_as_fork The paper was out 2 days ago: https://t.co/btjZPFIVGl

Feb 9, 2022 · 3 likes · 1 share · 4,040 followers View post →
Sergio González Mora
@PhylumBryozoa · X

Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China: showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences https://t.co/eGqRNMIffd

Feb 8, 2022 · 1 like · 988 followers View post →
fernanda castano
@ferwen · X

Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China: showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences https://t.co/ZLHQGcyfBo

Feb 8, 2022 · 1 like · 2,691 followers View post →
Andy_Weeble_Weaver
@AndrewW66619812 · X

The "Royal Society" paper the above SCMP article is based upon: "Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China: showing the first evidence of antiperistalsis in pterosaurs" https://t.co/lVUwLwwyBf

Feb 7, 2022 · 4,335 followers View post →
Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
@TomHoltzPaleo · X

Two emetolite-pterosaur associations from the Late Jurassic of China: showing the first evidence for antiperistalsis in pterosaurs | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences https://t.co/9GFuwyMKKN

Feb 7, 2022 · 11 likes · 2 shares · 31,842 followers View post →