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1 April 2014 Tooth Microstructure of the Early Permian Aquatic Predator Stereosternum tumidum
Flávio A. Pretto, Sérgio F. Cabreira, Cesar L. Schultz
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Abstract

A histological investigation of the feeding apparatus of a Stereosternum specimen revealed a great number of adaptations in the structure and insertion of teeth, to deal with breakage risks. The tooth wall is composed of different layers of dentine, varying in orientation and composition. This mixed arrangement may have increased tooth resistance to lateral tension. The tooth insertion also involves more than one mechanism. The teeth are located inside shallow tooth sockets and are held in place by a tripartite periodontium (composed of alveolar bone, cementum and possibly soft periodontal tissue) and accessory structures, here termed anchorage trabeculae (mainly composed of cementum). Fully grown teeth are ankylosed to the bottom of the tooth socket. The recognition of alveolar bone and cementum (and the possible presence of a soft periodontal ligament) reinforces the idea that these tissues were widespread among Amniota, not being exclusive to mammals and archosaurs. The adaptations identified here reinforce the hypothesis that Stereosternum was an active aquatic predator.

Copyright © 2014 F.A. Pretto et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Flávio A. Pretto, Sérgio F. Cabreira, and Cesar L. Schultz "Tooth Microstructure of the Early Permian Aquatic Predator Stereosternum tumidum," Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 59(1), 125-133, (1 April 2014). https://doi.org/10.4202/app.2011.0121
Received: 7 October 2011; Accepted: 21 June 2012; Published: 1 April 2014
KEYWORDS
Amniota
Histology
Mesosauridae
Permian
Stereosternum tumidum
tripartite periodontium
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