Mammal-Like Dentition in a Mesozoic Crocodylian

Abstract

Crocodylian teeth are generally conical with little differentiation in shape along the tooth row. The mandible is incapable of any fore-aft movement, and feeding typically involves little or no intraoral processing. Complex, multi-cusped, mammal-like teeth differentiated along the tooth row have been found in a Cretaceous crocodylian from Malawi. The morphology of the teeth and mandible indicates that food items were processed by back-to-front (proal) movement of the mandible, unlike living crocodylians but as in some mammals and Sphenodon (the tuatara).