INVESTIGADORES
ABDALA Nestor Fernando
artículos
Título:
Dental Occlusion in a 260-Million- Year-Old Therapsid with Saber Canines from the Permian of Brazil
Autor/es:
CISNEROS, J. C.; ABDALA, F.; RUBIDGE, B. S.; DENTZIEN-DIAS, P. C.; BUENO, A. O.
Revista:
Science
Editorial:
Science Magazine
Referencias:
Año: 2011 vol. 331 p. 1603 - 1605
ISSN:
1095-9203
Resumen:
Anomodonts, a group of herbivorous therapsid ?mammal-like reptiles,? were the most abundant tetrapods of the Permian. We present a basal anomodont from South America, a new taxon that has transversally expanded palatal teeth and long saber canines. The function of the saber teeth is unknown, but probable uses include deterring attack from predators and intraspecific display or combat. The complex palatal teeth were used to process high-fiber food and represent early evidence of dental occlusion in a therapsid. This discovery provides new insight into the evolution of heterogeneous dentition in therapsids and broadens our understanding of ecological interactions at the end of the Paleozoic.