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Chinese Science Bulletin

, Volume 58, Issue 16, pp 1931–1935

Tooth loss and alveolar remodeling in Sinosaurus triassicus (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the lower jurassic strata of the Lufeng Basin, China

  • LiDa Xing
  • Phil R. Bell
  • Bruce M. Rothschild
  • Hao Ran
  • JianPing Zhang
  • ZhiMing Dong
  • Wei Zhang
  • Philip J. Currie
Open Access
Article Geology
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Pathological or traumatic loss of teeth often results in the resorption and remodeling of the affected alveoli in mammals. However, instances of alveolar remodeling in reptiles are rare. A remodeled alveolus in the maxilla of the Chinese theropod Sinosaurus (Lower Jurassic Lower Lufeng Formation) is the first confirmed example of such dental pathology in a dinosaur. Given the known relationship between feeding behavior and tooth damage in theropods (teeth with spalled enamel, tooth crowns embedded in bone) and the absence of dentary, maxillary, and premaxillary osteomyelitis, traumatic loss of a tooth is most likely the cause of alveolar remodeling. Based on the extent of remodeling, the injury and subsequent tooth loss were non-fatal in this individual.

Keywords

alveolar remodeling paleopathology Sinosaurus Lufeng Basin China 
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Copyright information

© The Author(s) 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • LiDa Xing
    • 1
    • 2
  • Phil R. Bell
    • 3
  • Bruce M. Rothschild
    • 4
  • Hao Ran
    • 5
  • JianPing Zhang
    • 2
  • ZhiMing Dong
    • 6
  • Wei Zhang
    • 7
  • Philip J. Currie
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonCanada
  2. 2.School of the Earth Sciences and ResourcesChina University of GeosciencesBeijingChina
  3. 3.Pipestone Creek Dinosaur InitiativeClairmontCanada
  4. 4.Division of Vertebrate Paleontology, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research InstituteUniversity of KansasLawrenceUSA
  5. 5.Ministry of EducationKey Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University)GuilinChina
  6. 6.Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and PaleoanthropologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
  7. 7.Department of Computer EngineeringChengdu Electromechanical CollegeChengduChina

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