Crocodiles went through a vegetarian phase too
Cara Giaimo29.06.2019
Imagine you’re a small mammal of the Mesozoic. Snuffling around one day, you run into a cat-size, scaly, big-eyed reptile that looks not unlike a crocodile found later in the 21st century. Spotting you, he opens his mouth wide to reveal… tiny, intricate teeth. Then he turns his head and munches on some leaves.
Such encounters may have been common in prehistory. Research suggests vegetarianism evolved at least three separate times in ancient crocs — a conclusion reached after scientists studied the unusual teeth sported by many species, including the Simosuchus described above.
Crocodiles and their relatives have many things in common, including meat-heavy diets, a penchant for swimming and their teeth.
But the Mesozoic was a different story. About 250,000 years ago, scores of crocodyliform species could be found on land and some in seas and rivers. A particular species might eat only plants, only animals, or both. To support these varied diets, many had “unique, interesting teeth,” said Keegan Melstrom, a student at the University of Utah and lead author of the new study.
Melstrom analysed 146 teeth from 16 extinct crocodyliform species. Half of the ancient species seemed to have been on the plant-eating end of the spectrum. Several of them were from distinct lineages. This suggests that vegetarianism was not an anomaly in crocodyliform history, but evolved at least three times. In future research, he hopes to find out why vegetarian crocodyliforms didn’t last past the end of the Cretaceous. NYT NEWS SERVICE
CHANGE IN DIET PLANS?
Cara Giaimo29.06.2019
Imagine you’re a small mammal of the Mesozoic. Snuffling around one day, you run into a cat-size, scaly, big-eyed reptile that looks not unlike a crocodile found later in the 21st century. Spotting you, he opens his mouth wide to reveal… tiny, intricate teeth. Then he turns his head and munches on some leaves.
Such encounters may have been common in prehistory. Research suggests vegetarianism evolved at least three separate times in ancient crocs — a conclusion reached after scientists studied the unusual teeth sported by many species, including the Simosuchus described above.
Crocodiles and their relatives have many things in common, including meat-heavy diets, a penchant for swimming and their teeth.
But the Mesozoic was a different story. About 250,000 years ago, scores of crocodyliform species could be found on land and some in seas and rivers. A particular species might eat only plants, only animals, or both. To support these varied diets, many had “unique, interesting teeth,” said Keegan Melstrom, a student at the University of Utah and lead author of the new study.
Melstrom analysed 146 teeth from 16 extinct crocodyliform species. Half of the ancient species seemed to have been on the plant-eating end of the spectrum. Several of them were from distinct lineages. This suggests that vegetarianism was not an anomaly in crocodyliform history, but evolved at least three times. In future research, he hopes to find out why vegetarian crocodyliforms didn’t last past the end of the Cretaceous. NYT NEWS SERVICE
CHANGE IN DIET PLANS?
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