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Dental complexity and diet in amniotes: A meta-analysis.
Anessa C DeMers1, John P Hunter2
1Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America.
Plos One
|February 2, 2024
Summary
Orientation patch count (OPC) and OPCR are popular methods for analyzing tooth complexity and diet. However, a meta-analysis reveals no overall pattern of greater complexity in herbivores than faunivores across terrestrial amniotes.
Area of Science:
- Paleontology
- Zoology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Tooth morphology is a key indicator of ecological roles, particularly diet.
- Quantitative measures like Orientation Patch Count (OPC) and OPCR have become standard for analyzing tooth complexity.
Conclusions:
- The utility of OPC and OPCR in diet assessment is taxon-specific and depends on the type of faunivory.
- Caution is advised when comparing OPC and OPCR values across different studies.
- Suggestions are provided for the constructive use of OPCR in future research.
