That broad muzzle with its Nigersaurus teeth was great for scooping up ferns, horsetails along with other small-lying plants. And Together with the bountiful teeth, the dinosaur would've had no difficulties shearing by way of this vegetation.
It more argued the orientation of the semicircular canals may differ noticeably in modern day species, and is also for that reason not trusted for figuring out head posture.[23] This was supported through the Spanish palaeontologist Jesús Marugán-Lobón and colleagues within a 2013 study that recommended the techniques used by Sereno's group were being imprecise, Which Nigersaurus habitually held its head like other sauropods.[24]
Ongoing Tooth Replacement: Teeth ended up changed just about every fourteen times, ensuring a sharp, useful dental battery to manage with continual have on from grazing.
In ordinarily vibrant vogue, Sereno explained Nigersaurus as a cross concerning Darth Vader plus a vacuum cleaner and also referred to as it a "Mesozoic cow" (not an inaccurate description, when you overlook The reality that a complete-grown Nigersaurus calculated thirty toes from head to tail and weighed up to five tons!)
The dental structure of Nigersaurus presents priceless insights in to the dietary and ecological adaptations of sauropods. Its one of a kind dental arrangement and quick tooth replacement system emphasize the various evolutionary procedures that dinosaurs utilized to thrive inside their environments.
Nigersaurus is placed during the category of sauropods by which the many extended-necked and long-tailed dinosaurs are positioned. Nigersaurus was likely among the smallest sauropods because its neck was shorter. An adult Nigersaurus weighed all around 4 tons and its dimensions was corresponding to a modern Elephant.
The snout was also proportionately shorter, as well as the tooth row was not at all prognathous, the snout idea not protruding relative to the remainder in the tooth collection.[1] Nigersaurus was distinct in that its frontal bone (which shaped A lot with the skull-roof) was elongate (A lot narrower than long), and experienced a marked cerebral fossa (a melancholy on the floor of this bone inside the head).[four] The maxillary tooth row was in its entirety transversely rotated, its standard rear 90° everted toward the front. This was matched by An analogous rotation from the dentary of your decrease jaw. This transverse orientation from the higher and reduce tooth rows was exceptional for the dinosaur. Due to this configuration, no other tetrapod experienced all of its teeth located as considerably for the entrance as Nigersaurus.[3][four]
Nigersaurus experienced a jaw construction as opposed to every other dinosaur. Its wide, squared-off muzzle housed more than 500 slender, pencil-like teeth. These teeth were not evenly distributed but have been arranged in columns and rows, with as quite a few as 9 substitution teeth driving Each and every Energetic tooth.
Nigersaurus is Just about the most archaeologically significant dinosaurs because it is helping Nigersaurus researchers to raised fully grasp the anatomy and physiology of other sauropods. It is additionally Just about the most wholly recognized rebbachisaurids, with over 200 bones of a minimum of 17 diverse dinosaurs learned.
By way of example, its fossils propose that it had a wide, deep ribcage that will have allowed it to soak up big quantities of air, facilitating its breathing and furnishing the oxygen it required to maintain its massive system.
But that’s not all for Nigersaurus. Chris took us all to your flat location of purple-colored sandstone exactly where he experienced located the higher jaw of a little one Nigersaurus—a person that could healthy along with a silver dollar!
The swift tooth substitute implies that it generally fed on smooth, abrasive vegetation, which would wear down its teeth quickly.
The dinosaur's vertebrae was full of air pockets much like Individuals of birds, so the dinosaur was very likely fairly light, as well. Its Mind was concerning the size of the walnut, which happens to be roughly ordinary for sauropods, Sereno suggests.
Nigersaurus was likely a browser, and fed with its head close to the bottom. The area of its brain that detected odor was little, While its brain dimensions was similar to that of other dinosaurs. There's been discussion on whether or not its head was habitually held downwards, or horizontally like other sauropods.