This 245-million-year-old fossil still has its stomach and intestines

Paleontologists have described an exceptional fossil of the marine reptile Austronaga minuta, dating back 245 million years. This specimen provides rare, soft-tissue preservation that includes the stomach, liver, and intestines. While the creature was highly adapted for a life in the water, the structural layout of its digestive tract appears remarkably simple. This anatomical clarity offers researchers unprecedented insights into the internal physiology and metabolic adaptations of early Triassic marine reptiles. The level of detail preserved in these ancient organs helps bridge a significant knowledge gap concerning how these early ocean-dwellers processed nutrients and functioned within their aquatic environments. The study suggests that while external physical traits evolved rapidly to suit marine life, internal systems may have retained more primitive characteristics.