The cranial osteology and feeding ecology of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genera Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus from the late Jurassic of Europe.
Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus are characteristic genera of aquatic, large-bodied, macrophagous metriorhynchid crocodylomorphs. Recent studies show that these genera were apex predators in marine ecosystems during the latter part of the Late Jurassic, with robust skulls and strong bite forces optimized...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:6e51e32062ef4571b149af591bd1dbe0 2023-05-15T17:35:25+02:00 The cranial osteology and feeding ecology of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genera Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus from the late Jurassic of Europe. Mark T Young Stephen L Brusatte Marco Brandalise de Andrade Julia B Desojo Brian L Beatty Lorna Steel Marta S Fernández Manabu Sakamoto Jose Ignacio Ruiz-Omeñaca Rainer R Schoch 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0044985 https://doaj.org/article/6e51e32062ef4571b149af591bd1dbe0 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3445579?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0044985 https://doaj.org/article/6e51e32062ef4571b149af591bd1dbe0 PLoS ONE, Vol 7, Iss 9, p e44985 (2012) Medicine R Science Q article 2012 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0044985 2022-12-30T22:50:38Z Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus are characteristic genera of aquatic, large-bodied, macrophagous metriorhynchid crocodylomorphs. Recent studies show that these genera were apex predators in marine ecosystems during the latter part of the Late Jurassic, with robust skulls and strong bite forces optimized for feeding on large prey.Here we present comprehensive osteological descriptions and systematic revisions of the type species of both genera, and in doing so we resurrect the genus Plesiosuchus for the species Dakosaurus manselii. Both species are diagnosed with numerous autapomorphies. Dakosaurus maximus has premaxillary 'lateral plates'; strongly ornamented maxillae; macroziphodont dentition; tightly fitting tooth-to-tooth occlusion; and extensive macrowear on the mesial and distal margins. Plesiosuchus manselii is distinct in having: non-amblygnathous rostrum; long mandibular symphysis; microziphodont teeth; tooth-crown apices that lack spalled surfaces or breaks; and no evidence for occlusal wear facets. Our phylogenetic analysis finds Dakosaurus maximus to be the sister taxon of the South American Dakosaurus andiniensis, and Plesiosuchus manselii in a polytomy at the base of Geosaurini (the subclade of macrophagous metriorhynchids that includes Dakosaurus, Geosaurus and Torvoneustes).The sympatry of Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus is curiously similar to North Atlantic killer whales, which have one larger 'type' that lacks tooth-crown breakage being sympatric with a smaller 'type' that has extensive crown breakage. Assuming this morphofunctional complex is indicative of diet, then Plesiosuchus would be a specialist feeding on other marine reptiles while Dakosaurus would be a generalist and possible suction-feeder. This hypothesis is supported by Plesiosuchus manselii having a very large optimum gape (gape at which multiple teeth come into contact with a prey-item), while Dakosaurus maximus possesses craniomandibular characteristics observed in extant suction-feeding odontocetes: shortened tooth-row, amblygnathous ... Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles PLoS ONE 7 9 e44985 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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English |
topic |
Medicine R Science Q |
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Medicine R Science Q Mark T Young Stephen L Brusatte Marco Brandalise de Andrade Julia B Desojo Brian L Beatty Lorna Steel Marta S Fernández Manabu Sakamoto Jose Ignacio Ruiz-Omeñaca Rainer R Schoch The cranial osteology and feeding ecology of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genera Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus from the late Jurassic of Europe. |
topic_facet |
Medicine R Science Q |
description |
Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus are characteristic genera of aquatic, large-bodied, macrophagous metriorhynchid crocodylomorphs. Recent studies show that these genera were apex predators in marine ecosystems during the latter part of the Late Jurassic, with robust skulls and strong bite forces optimized for feeding on large prey.Here we present comprehensive osteological descriptions and systematic revisions of the type species of both genera, and in doing so we resurrect the genus Plesiosuchus for the species Dakosaurus manselii. Both species are diagnosed with numerous autapomorphies. Dakosaurus maximus has premaxillary 'lateral plates'; strongly ornamented maxillae; macroziphodont dentition; tightly fitting tooth-to-tooth occlusion; and extensive macrowear on the mesial and distal margins. Plesiosuchus manselii is distinct in having: non-amblygnathous rostrum; long mandibular symphysis; microziphodont teeth; tooth-crown apices that lack spalled surfaces or breaks; and no evidence for occlusal wear facets. Our phylogenetic analysis finds Dakosaurus maximus to be the sister taxon of the South American Dakosaurus andiniensis, and Plesiosuchus manselii in a polytomy at the base of Geosaurini (the subclade of macrophagous metriorhynchids that includes Dakosaurus, Geosaurus and Torvoneustes).The sympatry of Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus is curiously similar to North Atlantic killer whales, which have one larger 'type' that lacks tooth-crown breakage being sympatric with a smaller 'type' that has extensive crown breakage. Assuming this morphofunctional complex is indicative of diet, then Plesiosuchus would be a specialist feeding on other marine reptiles while Dakosaurus would be a generalist and possible suction-feeder. This hypothesis is supported by Plesiosuchus manselii having a very large optimum gape (gape at which multiple teeth come into contact with a prey-item), while Dakosaurus maximus possesses craniomandibular characteristics observed in extant suction-feeding odontocetes: shortened tooth-row, amblygnathous ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mark T Young Stephen L Brusatte Marco Brandalise de Andrade Julia B Desojo Brian L Beatty Lorna Steel Marta S Fernández Manabu Sakamoto Jose Ignacio Ruiz-Omeñaca Rainer R Schoch |
author_facet |
Mark T Young Stephen L Brusatte Marco Brandalise de Andrade Julia B Desojo Brian L Beatty Lorna Steel Marta S Fernández Manabu Sakamoto Jose Ignacio Ruiz-Omeñaca Rainer R Schoch |
author_sort |
Mark T Young |
title |
The cranial osteology and feeding ecology of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genera Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus from the late Jurassic of Europe. |
title_short |
The cranial osteology and feeding ecology of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genera Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus from the late Jurassic of Europe. |
title_full |
The cranial osteology and feeding ecology of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genera Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus from the late Jurassic of Europe. |
title_fullStr |
The cranial osteology and feeding ecology of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genera Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus from the late Jurassic of Europe. |
title_full_unstemmed |
The cranial osteology and feeding ecology of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genera Dakosaurus and Plesiosuchus from the late Jurassic of Europe. |
title_sort |
cranial osteology and feeding ecology of the metriorhynchid crocodylomorph genera dakosaurus and plesiosuchus from the late jurassic of europe. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0044985 https://doaj.org/article/6e51e32062ef4571b149af591bd1dbe0 |
genre |
North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 7, Iss 9, p e44985 (2012) |
op_relation |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3445579?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0044985 https://doaj.org/article/6e51e32062ef4571b149af591bd1dbe0 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0044985 |
container_title |
PLoS ONE |
container_volume |
7 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
e44985 |
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1766134583630233600 |