Ultramicrostructural reductions in teeth: implications for dietary transition from non-avian dinosaurs to birds.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tooth morphology within theropod dinosaurs has been extensively investigated and shows high disparity throughout the Cretaceous. Changes or diversification in feeding ecology, i.e., adoption of an herbivorous diet (e.g., granivorous), is proposed as a major driver of tooth evolution in Paraves (e.g., Microraptor, troodontids and avialans). Here, we studied the microscopic features of paravian non-avian theropod and avialan teeth using high-spatial-resolution synchrotron transmission X-ray microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Results

We show that avialan teeth are characterized by the presence of simple enamel structures and a lack of porous mantle dentin between the enamel and orthodentin. Reduced internal structures of teeth took place independently in Ea

SUBMITTER: Li Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7171806 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature