A Toothy Tale of Evolution: Convergence in Tooth Morphology among Marine Mesozoic–Cenozoic Sharks, Reptiles, and Mammals

Ciampaglio, Charles N.; Wray, Gregory A.; Corliss, Bruce H.

doi:10.2110/sedred.2005.4.4

Cited by 25 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…However, despite this considerable diversity in the Mesozoic marine reptile modes of predation [40], [41], as well as a broad overlap of their tooth morphospaces with those of Cenozoic marine mammals, indicating multiple feeding behavior convergences [42], suction feeding, though being a common feeding strategy in aquatic vertebrates [34] has been extremely rarely reported among Mesozoic marine reptiles. It has been hypothesized (but without any concrete argument) for Hupesuchus , a small marine reptile from the Middle Triassic of China [43] and recently postulated for Shonisaurus [44], [45] and Shastasaurus [46], both large toothless Triassic ichthyosaurs, interpreted as suction feeders also comparable to many extant odontocetes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Giant Chelonioid Turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco with a Suction Feeding Apparatus Unique among Tetrapods

et al. 2013

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BackgroundSecondary adaptation to aquatic life occurred independently in several amniote lineages, including reptiles during the Mesozoic and mammals during the Cenozoic. These evolutionary shifts to aquatic environments imply major morphological modifications, especially of the feeding apparatus. Mesozoic (250–65 Myr) marine reptiles, such as ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, mosasaurid squamates, crocodiles, and turtles, exhibit a wide range of adaptations to aquatic feeding and a broad overlap of their tooth morphospaces with those of Cenozoic marine mammals. However, despite these multiple feeding behavior convergences, suction feeding, though being a common feeding strategy in aquatic vertebrates and in marine mammals in particular, has been extremely rarely reported for Mesozoic marine reptiles.Principal FindingsA relative of fossil protostegid and dermochelyoid sea turtles, Ocepechelon bouyai gen. et sp. nov. is a new giant chelonioid from the Late Maastrichtian (67 Myr) of Morocco exhibiting remarkable adaptations to marine life (among others, very dorsally and posteriorly located nostrils). The 70-cm-long skull of Ocepechelon not only makes it one of the largest marine turtles ever described, but also deviates significantly from typical turtle cranial morphology. It shares unique convergences with both syngnathid fishes (unique long tubular bony snout ending in a rounded and anteriorly directed mouth) and beaked whales (large size and elongated edentulous jaws). This striking anatomy suggests extreme adaptation for suction feeding unmatched among known turtles.Conclusion/SignificanceThe feeding apparatus of Ocepechelon, a bony pipette-like snout, is unique among tetrapods. This new taxon exemplifies the successful systematic and ecological diversification of chelonioid turtles during the Late Cretaceous. This new evidence for a unique trophic specialization in turtles, along with the abundant marine vertebrate faunas associated to Ocepechelon in the Late Maastrichtian phosphatic beds of Morocco, further supports the hypothesis that marine life was, at least locally, very diversified just prior to the Cretaceous/Palaeogene (K/Pg) biotic crisis.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Giant Chelonioid Turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco with a Suction Feeding Apparatus Unique among Tetrapods

et al. 2013

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“…By contrast, taxa possessing small to medium‐sized crowns with fine longitudinal ridges and a circular cross‐section are commonly regarded as generalists that feed on small cartilaginous and bony fish, soft cephalopods and/or belemnoids (Massare ; Ciampaglio et al . ). However, the largest known pliosaurids, Kronosaurus queenslandicus and ‘ Kronosaurus ’ boyacensis (see Benson et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Increased pliosaurid dental disparity across the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition

et al. 2018

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Pliosaurid marine reptiles played important roles in marine food chains from the Middle Jurassic to the middle Cretaceous, frequently as apex predators. The evolution of pliosaurids during the later parts of the Early Cretaceous has recently been illuminated by discoveries from Russia (Hauterivian) and Colombia (Barremian). However, knowledge of pliosaurids representing the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition (late Tithonian – Valanginian), is still largely incomplete, especially during the earliest Cretaceous. As such, the effect on pliosaurids of hypothesized faunal turnover during the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary interval is poorly understood. We report pliosaurid teeth from the upper Volgian (Tithonian, Upper Jurassic) of the Kheta river basin (Eastern Siberia, Russia), to the Berriasian and Valanginian (Lower Cretaceous) of the Volga region (European Russia). These assemblages have yielded a series of distinct tooth morphotypes, including the first reports of conical‐toothed pliosaurids from the latest Jurassic and earliest Cretaceous. This challenges the hypothesis that only one lineage of pliosaurids crossed the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary. It appears that conical‐toothed pliosaurids co‐existed with their trihedral‐toothed relatives for at least 25 million years during the latest Jurassic and earliest Cretaceous. In fact, our quantitative analyses indicate that pliosaurids reached their maximal dental disparity during this interval, showing little evidence of turnover associated with the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition. Instead, disparity decreased later in the Early Cretaceous, with the disappearance of trihedral‐toothed forms in the Barremian.

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“…Dental morphology, including tooth wear patterns, sharp apices, and small basal crown diameters, place all metriorhynchines within the pierce guild of Ciampaglio, Wray & Corliss (2005), and place most metriorhynchine genera within Massare's (1987) pierce‐II guild (Figs 7–8). The exceptions are the genus Metriorhynchus and C. macrospondylus , which would be classified as ‘general’, as they have a slightly greater basal crown diameter and a blunter apex, and Rhacheosaurus , which possess teeth that are consistent with Massare's pierce‐I guild (fragile crowns with a very sharp apex and narrow basal crown diameter).…”

Section: Character Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The bold grey indicates crowns lacking carinae. The symbols refer to tooth morphology guilds from Massare (1987) and Ciampaglio et al. (2005).…”

Section: Character Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The evolution of Metriorhynchoidea (mesoeucrocodylia, thalattosuchia): an integrated approach using geometric morphometrics, analysis of disparity, and biomechanics

Young¹,

Brusatte²,

Ruta³

et al. 2010

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

203

323

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Metriorhynchoid crocodylians represent the pinnacle of marine specialization within Archosauria. Not only were\ud they a major component of the Middle Jurassic–Early Cretaceous marine ecosystems, but they provide further\ud examples that extinct crocodilians did not all resemble their modern extant relatives. Here, we use a varied toolkit\ud of techniques, including phylogenetic reconstruction, geometric morphometrics, diversity counts, discrete character\ud disparity analysis, and biomechanical finite-element analysis (FEA), to examine the macroevolutionary history of\ud this clade. All analyses demonstrate that this clade became more divergent, in terms of biodiversity, form, and\ud function, up until the Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary, after which there is no evidence for recovery or further\ud radiations. A clear evolutionary trend towards hypercarnivory in Dakosaurus is supported by phylogenetic\ud character optimization, morphometrics, and FEA, which also support specialized piscivory within Rhacheosaurus\ud and Cricosaurus. Within Metriorhynchoidea, there is a consistent trend towards increasing marine specialization,\ud with the hypermarine Cricosaurus exhibiting numerous convergences with other Mesozoic marine reptiles (e.g. loss\ud of the deltopectoral crest and retracted external nares). In addition, biomechanics, morphometrics, and characterdisparity\ud analyses consistently distinguish the two newly erected metriorhynchid subfamilies. This study illustrates\ud that together with phylogeny, quantitative assessment of diversity, form, and function help elucidate the\ud macroevolutionary pattern of fossil clades

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A Toothy Tale of Evolution: Convergence in Tooth Morphology among Marine Mesozoic–Cenozoic Sharks, Reptiles, and Mammals

Cited by 25 publications

References 2 publications

A Giant Chelonioid Turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco with a Suction Feeding Apparatus Unique among Tetrapods

A Giant Chelonioid Turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Morocco with a Suction Feeding Apparatus Unique among Tetrapods

Increased pliosaurid dental disparity across the Jurassic–Cretaceous transition

The evolution of Metriorhynchoidea (mesoeucrocodylia, thalattosuchia): an integrated approach using geometric morphometrics, analysis of disparity, and biomechanics

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