Masticatory jaw movement of Exaeretodon argentinus (Therapsida: Cynodontia) inferred from its dental microwear.

ABSTRACT: Dental microwear of four postcanine teeth of Exaeretodon argentinus was analyzed using both two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) methods to infer their masticatory jaw movements. Results of both methods were congruent, showing that linear microwear features (scratches) were well aligned and mostly directed to the antero-posterior direction in all four teeth examined. These findings support the palinal masticatory jaw movement, which was inferred in previous studies based on the observation of gross morphology of wear facets. In contrast, the lack of detection of lateral scratches confirmed the absence of the lateral jaw movement that was also proposed by a previous study. Considering previous microwear studies on cynodonts, palinal jaw movements observed in Exaeretodon evolved w

SUBMITTER: Kubo T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5706674 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature