POSSIBLE DINOSAUR GASTROLITHS COMPARED TO MOA GIZZARD STONES

Modern dinosaurs, or birds, swallow small stones to help them process their food. Historically it was thought that Mesozoic, herbivorous dinosaurs did the same thing. However, recent articles have called into question the identification of these dinosaur gastroliths. These were smooth, often microcrystalline quartz or chert stones with a polished surface. While the stones found with dinosaur skeletons are polished, recent study of ostrich gastroliths have found that they are rarely ever left polished after use.

We will compare natural stones, polished by wind and water, with verified gizzard stones from the extinct Moa to help determine if the purported dinosaur gastroliths are authentic or are attributable to other natural origins.