News Paleontology

Newfound fossil species of lamprey were flesh eaters

The modern kin of these dinosaur contemporaries can consume either blood or flesh

An artist's rendition of a Yanliaomyzon ingensdentes.

Yanliaomyzon ingensdentes, shown in this artist’s rendition, is one of two newly discovered species of flesh-eating lamprey found in 160-million-year-old rocks.

Heming Zhang

By Carolyn Gramling

Found in roughly 160-million-year-old rocks in North China, the Yanliao Biota is a diverse array of beautifully preserved fossils, including dinosaurs, pterosaurs and even early mammals. But it isn’t all fur and feathers. Paleontologists have now unearthed fossils of two surprisingly large ancient lamprey species, swimming menaces that latched onto and bored holes into their unsuspecting neighbors.