Re: Serration variation

[christopher robert noto <crnoto@midway.uchicago.edu>]

Isn't it also possible that differences in serrations deal with different
predatory tactics and feeding behaviors (like "slice and dice" versus
"crush and maul")?  Also, have primitive and derived serration characters
been described in any kind of detail?  Did serrations evolve basally in
therepods or did the earliest therepods lack serrations?  Could serrations
be basal to Dinosauria?   Just a thought, 
if this is true and serrations are basal to Dinosauria, can this tell us
anything about the tooth structure/history  of non therepod
dinosaurs?

-Chris

On Wed, 9 Feb 2000 Dinogeorge@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 2/9/00 2:16:53 PM EST, majestic_cheese@yahoo.com writes:
> 
> << Is there much variation among the serrations on
>  theropod teeth?  (From tooth to tooth, or from species
>  to species.) Or are serrations serrations?  If there
>  is variation, why? >>
> 
> Lots of variation: serration size, shape, frequency, and position on tooth 
> are four variables that immediately come to mind. Major source of variation 
> may be phylogenetic, as closely related theropods seem to have similar kinds 
> of serrations, whereas more distantly related theropods have less similar 
> tooth serrations.
>