Researchers have found a surprising link between prehistoric dinosaurs and mammals in their teeth.

While most people think of teeth painted on prehistoric creatures, monstrous, blade-like Smilodon, Better known as suede-toothed hair. But in the world of dinosaurs, throbopods are known to have blade-like teeth with serrated cutting edges used to bite and rip their prey. And until recently, the intricate arrangement of tissues that gave birth to this terrifying tooth was considered unique to meat-eating dinosaurs.

In a paper published in 16 December Biology LettersMegan Whitney, lead author of the Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University’s Department of Organ Organic and Evolutionary Biology, examined fragments of gorgonopsian teeth and found similar complex arrangements of tissues in the staphylococcus aureus.

Gorgonopsian is a group of synapses of the mid-late Permian 270-252 million years ago. These animals, like other synapses, are considered to be the forerunners of mammals and come within the lineage that eventually gave birth to mammals. “These animals were the highest predators of their day and are characteristic of their suede-like canines that can grow up to 13 cm in length,” Whitney said.

Previous studies of throbop dinosaurs have uncovered a complex system of tissues made up of both enamel and dentin, forming the structure on their teeth. This intricate arrangement was considered unique to the throbop dinosaur. But no one made a thin piece of gorgonopsian tooth before examining the cervix.

Inspired, Whitney and co-authors combined their expertise in paleohistology (the study of the structure of fossil skeletal tissue) to test the theory of the formation of serrations in this group by thinning fossils from three synapses of three different periods. . “We were surprised to find services like Thropod in Gorgonopsians,” Whitney said. “We wanted to see how other carnivorous synapsids made their services, so we looked at older synapsids. [Dimetrodon] And a small, mammal fauna [Smilodon]”

Gorgonopsian, Dimethodon, And Smilodon All are synapses and, like theropods, were predators of their day and granular in knife-like teeth (e.g. ziphodonti). Dimethodon Is one of the earliest synapses during the Cesarean period about 295 to 272 million years ago; Dimethodon Often mistakenly described as a dinosaur. Smilodon 250 million years ago 10,000 years ago lived in America during the Pleistocene era. “All of these animals come along a line of mammals that differs from the line of reptiles with dinosaurs,” Whitney said. “In fact, these three animals are more closely related to humans than to dinosaurs.”

Whitney’s Ph.D. Focused on the teeth of gorgonopsians and other pioneers of mammals so he examined gorgonopsin specimens that have been collected from ongoing, extensive fieldwork in Zambia where many of these animals are found. Co-authors Aaron LeBlanc, Post Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Ashley Reynolds, Ph.D. Kirsten Brink, a candidate in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto and an assistant professor in the Department of Geology at the University of Manitoba, has contributed to the study of dental histology and animal life.

In thin sections it turns out that the Gorgonopsian seris is made up of tightly-packed serrations made of both enamel and dentine, a similarly complex arrangement of tissues that were previously attributed to Thropod dinosaurs and considered unique. “Surprisingly, the types of Gorgonopsians are more like meat-eating dinosaurs of the Mesozoic era,” LeBlanc said. “It means that this unique type of cutting developed first in the lineage leading to mammals, only later to develop independently in dinosaurs.”

“The fact is that we should only develop this type of serenity in meat-eating animals,” Brink said. “The small microstructures hidden inside the tooth give the tooth a significant advantage, strengthen the gums and help it last longer in the mouth, allowing the animal to eat effectively.”

Although the Gorgonopsians share this trait with the Thropod dinosaurs, they actually share more characteristics than other synapses. Dimethodon And humans. “These animals, because of their functional advantages, have been similarly transformed into the sensory morphology of teeth, not because they are closely related to each other,” Whitney said. “In this case, it probably has to do with the fact that the animals actually put a lot of wear on their teeth. And so independently they have managed to form a serration that will withstand the repetitive forces required. Eating because eating is important. So, teeth Makes many choices. “

Gorgonopsians were different groups of body sizes ranging from the size of a medium-sized dog to a bear, and Whitney notes that the specimens taken have this type of morphology, however, it is possible that there are serenity variations that will match. Variety of Gorgonopsians.