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gastrolith

   Also found in: Medical, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
gas·tro·lith  (gstr-lth)
n.
1. A pathological stony mass formed in the stomach; gastric calculus.
2. A small stone found in the stomach of some reptiles, fish, and birds that aids in digestion by helping grind ingested food material.

gastrolith [ˈgæstrəlɪθ]
n
(Medicine / Pathology) Pathol a stone in the stomach; gastric calculus


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The discovery of the gastroliths associated with this plesiosaur specimen were particularly exciting because most plesiosaur gastroliths are found associated with the long-neck morphotype," Schmeisser explained, adding that "the stones described in our paper are much lighter and smaller than those found in long-neck plesiosaurs.
The digestive tracts of both plesiosaurs also contained dozens of gastroliths, stones that paleontologists speculate were used to grind up hard-shelled prey and thereby aid digestion.
The only non-molluscan fauna include two small crayfish gastroliths.
 
 
 
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