How do scientists determine what the animal fossil ate?

Answer 1

Usually by observing them. However, a scientist can make an educated guess on what an animal eats simple by analyzing the anatomy. Clues such as teeth and claws, as well as the digestive organs, indicate whether it was a meat eater, plant eater, or omnivore. These same things can hint at whether an animal specializes in a very specific food source. The area where the animal comes from also gives clues (i.e., if it's a large carnivore from an area where there are deer, then the animal probably eats deer, among other things).

Answer 2

Food matter is often not preserved with the animal concerned. However:

• Comparisons are made with earlier and later species in that animals evolutionary path, to see what they eat and by extension, what the animal concerned could or did eat.
• Plant fossils nearby or in the same area give good indications of what it might have eaten, as do the remains of smaller animals which could have been prey.
• Coprolites (fossilised fecal matter) can also be analysed to determine whether the diet consisted of plant or animal or both, and provides more specific clues as well.
• Other techniques used include analysis of the fossil itself:
  • Some types of animal, such as avians and fish, could only have had very restricted diets, in terms of what they could have eaten.
  • Teeth are extremely good hints as to whether an animal was herbivorous, carnivorous, omnivorous, etc.
  • The location can mean a lot: animals discovered in or near what would have been rivers and lakes at the time might be piscivores (fish eaters). Likewise, an animal living halfway up a mountain is probably going to be herbivorous (huge lack of prey in the environment means no carnivores).
  • Time is a similar consideration; if present during a time where no other animals existed or when it was the dominant organism, then it is unlikely to have been a predator. Likewise, an organism which was comparatively rare or had plenty of options for hunting might well have been apex predators.

Put all of those together, and you get a very accurate picture of what something might have eaten. Given the right additional evidence, you can sometimes state exactly what that food was.

Answer 3

it's all about how could an animal recognizes its own , suitable food ? does it have anything to do with innate mechanisms ?

Answer 4

Usually, it's by DNA testing, and comparing it to other similar fossils until they make a match.

Answer 5

They eat them

Answer 6

Bones,animal skins,and plant seeds