Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology
Published on: August 22, 2022
Mammal-like dentition in a mesozoic crocodylian
Abstract:
Crocodylian teeth are generally conical with little differentiation in shape along the tooth row. The mandible is incapable of any fore-aft movement, and feeding typically involves little or no intraoral processing. Complex, multi-cusped, mammal-like teeth differentiated along the tooth row have been found in a Cretaceous crocodylian from Malawi. The morphology of the teeth and mandible indicates that food items were processed by back-to-front (proal) movement of the mandible, unlike living crocodylians but as in some mammals and Sphenodon (the tuatara).
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