Dinosaurs dispersed fruit seeds

Paleontologists have described Infernogallus, a turkey‑sized caenagnathid from the Hell Creek Formation whose skull and jaw mechanics appear specialized for mashing fruit rather than solely browsing or egg‑eating. The anatomy (CT‑scanned palatal architecture and muscle arrangement) implies a transverse chewing motion analogous to some modern frugivores, suggesting active consumption and likely seed dispersal by non‑avian dinosaurs. — If true, this shifts the narrative about the ecological role of dinosaurs and implicates vertebrate frugivory as a driver in the early success and spread of flowering plants, with implications for evolutionary biology and public understanding of deep‑time ecosystems.