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Dental ontogeny and replacement in Pliosauridae
Judyth Sassoon1, Davide Foffa2, Ryan Marek3
1School of Earth Sciences , University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building , Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK.
Royal Society Open Science
|December 31, 2015
Summary
Pliosaurid tooth replacement patterns evolved from symmetrical jaw-wide eruption in basal species to asymmetrical patterns in derived species, linked to tooth size and function.
Area of Science:
- Paleontology
- Vertebrate Zoology
- Functional Morphology
Background:
- Pliosaurids, marine reptiles of the clade Sauropterygia, exhibit diverse dental morphologies.
- Understanding tooth replacement patterns is crucial for reconstructing feeding strategies and evolutionary adaptations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze dental morphology and tooth replacement patterns in basal and derived pliosaurids.
- To investigate ontogenetic patterns of tooth replacement using advanced imaging techniques.
- To propose a new model for pliosaurid tooth replacement within a phylogenetic framework.
Main Methods:
- Micro-computed tomography (μCT) scans of fossilized jaws.
- Direct examination of functional and replacement teeth in situ.
- Mapping of replacement tooth 'movement paths' and inference of eruption waves.
Main Results:
- Basal pliosaurid Thalassiodracon shows symmetrical tooth eruption along the entire jaw.
- Derived pliosaurids exhibit symmetrical eruption only in anterior jaw sections.
- Pliosaurus displays differing replacement schedules and tooth morphology between anterior and posterior jaw regions, suggesting heterodonty.
Conclusions:
- Pliosaurid tooth replacement evolved towards asymmetry in derived taxa, correlating with tooth differentiation and function.
- A novel model of pliosaurid tooth replacement patterns is proposed, integrating phylogenetic and functional data.
- This study sheds light on the functional morphology and evolutionary adaptations of pliosaurid dentition.
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