Overview

• A subadult Diamantinasaurus matildae specimen nicknamed Judy, excavated in 2017 from Queensland’s Winton Formation, preserves the first-ever sauropod cololite.
• Scientists identified unchewed conifer bracts, seed fern fruiting bodies and angiosperm leaves in the fossilized gut contents, confirming a varied herbivorous diet.
• Plant fragments bear cut edges without chewing marks, supporting bulk feeding and indicating reliance on fermentation and gut microbes.
• The coexistence of high-reach conifer debris and low-growing flowering plant material suggests feeding at multiple heights and possible dietary shifts during growth.
• Mineralization in an acidic gut environment enabled exceptional preservation, though the findings reflect a single individual’s last meals and may not represent all sauropods.