Dinosaur parenting secrets revealed in 80-million-year-old fossil teeth

A new study of fossilised Maiasaura teeth suggests advanced parental care among these duck-billed dinosaurs, which lived 75 to 80 million years ago.

Researchers found that juvenile Maiasaura had significantly more crushing wear on their teeth, while adults exhibited more shearing wear, indicating different diets.

The findings suggest adult Maiasaura fed their young softer, higher-protein foods, such as fruit, compared to their own tougher, high-fibre diet.

This specialised diet likely contributed to the rapid growth of young dinosaurs in their first year and hints at behaviours similar to modern birds, like regurgitation.

The study indicates that the urge to feed offspring is a very old behaviour, potentially dating back to the origin of dinosaurs.