Tooth enamel microstructure in North American Phytosauria (Diapsida:Archosauriformes): Implications for biogeography and ecology of a Late Triassic clade of crocodylian-like predators

Abstract

Teeth can provide important insight into diet and evolution of extinct vertebrates. Tooth enamel microstructure records functional and phylogenetic signals beyond the gross morphology of the dentition. Here , we provide the first systematic sampling of phytosaur tooth enamel to address questions of intra-and interspecific variation, and thus taxonomic identification, biogeographic connectivity, and heterodonty. We sampled 23 phytosaur teeth from five localities throughout the American Southwest and one locality from the Newark Supergroup of North Carolina. These teeth probably represent five heterodont genera and are tentatively assigned to Angistorhinus, Smilosu-chus, Machaeroprosopus, Redondasaurus, and “Rutiodon” . We used scanning electron microscopy to examine their enamel microstructure from transverse, longitudinal, and tangential cross-sections. All sampled teeth are composed of columnar enamel ranging in thickness from 20 to 150 µm, typically 50–100 µm, across all