14 DAY TRIAL // A new report in the journal Science Advances describes the anatomy of Triceratops teeth and shows that the chompers that adorned the mouth of dinosaurs belonging to this genus count as some of the most complex ever created by nature.
The paper, authored by scientist Gregory Erickson at Florida State University and collaborators at other research institutions, proposes that the anatomical particularities of Triceratops teeth might explain why these ancient beasts thrived in North America between 68 and 66 million years ago.
What made Triceratops teeth so very special
Writing in the journal Science Advances, Florida State University paleontologist Gregory Erickson and fellow researchers explain that, having cut up several Triceratops teeth obtained from museums, they found them to comprise as many as five layers.
By comparison, crocodiles and other reptiles alive today pack just two layers: enamel coating a dentine core. As for the teeth of horses and bison, until not long ago considered the most complex, they comprise merely four layers.
The five layers that made up Triceratops chompers, illustrated in the infographic below, were not just for show. As explained by scientist Gregory Erickson and his team, they worked together to make the creatures' teeth function like knives of sorts.
What this means is that, unlike modern-day reptiles and quite possibly many of the other ancient beast they shared their world with, Triceratops could enjoy the perks of a more varied diet. This might have given them an edge over other species.
“Triceratops developed teeth that could finely slice through dense material giving them a richer and more varied diet than modern-day reptiles,” the Florida State University specialist and his colleagues said in a statement.
This study on Triceratops teeth might come in handy
Interestingly, the scientists who worked on this research project say that, while closely examining the dinosaur teeth provided by museums, they found that, although millions of years old, they were in nearly perfect shape, even functional.
“If you took these dinosaurs’ teeth and put them in a cow for example, they would work,” said Gregory Erickson. Yes, they would probably look seriously creepy to say the least, but they would work.
Quite impressed with the Triceratops chompers' sturdiness and resilience, the researchers imagine such ancient teeth could benefit the field of materials sciences in that they could pave the way for the development of new and stronger materials for industrial and commercial applications.
