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Exceptionally simple teeth in sauropod dinosaurs demonstrate a novel approach to herbivory in Late Jurassic ecosystems Project ID: 000345163 Public
23 Media · 21 Specimens · Creator: Melstrom, Keegan · Managed by: Keegan Melstrom

Dinosaurs dominated terrestrial environments for over 100 million years in part due to highly successful feeding strategies. During the Late Jurassic, dinosaur ecosystems exhibit a wide range of dental adaptations. We quantitatively measured dental shape in well-known Late Jurassic dinosaurs to test for a relationship between diet and dental complexity. Sampled taxa exhibit a wide range of dental complexities that are on par with the disparity observed in modern saurians. Ornithischians display complex dentitions, corresponding to their herbivorous habits, whereas theropods exhibit relatively simple teeth related to their carnivorous diet. Diplodocoid sauropods, in contrast to nearly all known herbivores (living or extinct) possess simple teeth. Our analyses reveal that in sauropod dinosaurs tooth complexity is related not to diet but tooth replacement rate. The decoupling of herbivory and tooth complexity, and a strong inverse correlation between complexity and replacement rate, demonstrates a novel approach to herbivory in sauropod dinosaurs.

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  ID Part Object Taxonomy Type Date Added Publication Status  
000388991 Maxilla umnh:vp:C-173 Allosaurus sp. Mesh 2021-10-05 Open Download  
000389129 Maxillary teeth umnh:vp:16455 Camptosaurus sp. Mesh 2021-10-05 Open Download  
000389135 Premaxillary teeth usnm:paleobiology:5730 Brachiosaurus altithorax Mesh 2021-10-05 Open Download  
000389141 Maxillary teeth usnm:paleobiology:5730 Brachiosaurus altithorax Mesh 2021-10-05 Open Download  
000389145 Dentary teeth usnm:paleobiology:5730 Brachiosaurus altithorax Mesh 2021-10-05 Open Download  
000389151 Premaxillary teeth zmb:mam:2337 Dicraeosaurus hansemanni Mesh 2021-10-05 Open Download  
000389157 Premaxillary teeth zmb:mam:2338 Dicraeosaurus hansemanni Mesh 2021-10-05 Open Download  
000389164 Premaxillary teeth zmb:mam:2339 Dicraeosaurus hansemanni Mesh 2021-10-05 Open Download  
000389169 Dentary teeth zmb:mam:2372 Dicraeosaurus hansemanni Mesh 2021-10-05 Open Download  
000390198 Maxillary teeth byu:12893 Ceratosaurus sp. Mesh 2021-10-08 Open Download  
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