Dinosaurs adapted remarkably to their environments, developing diverse features. One stands out for its exceptional dental arrangement, showcasing a unique approach to processing its plant-based diet.
The Dinosaur with 500 Teeth
The dinosaur known for having over 500 teeth is Nigersaurus. This unique sauropod, a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur, had its remains described in 1976 following discoveries by French paleontologist Philippe Taquet in Niger. It was officially named Nigersaurus taqueti in 1999 after American paleontologist Paul Sereno and his team uncovered more complete fossils, allowing for a thorough study of its distinctive anatomy. Its most striking feature is a broad, straight-edged muzzle housing an impressive dental battery.
Saying Its Name
Pronouncing Nigersaurus is simpler than it might appear: “NIGH-jer-SORE-us.” “NIGH” rhymes with “eye,” “jer” sounds like the beginning of “jerry,” and “SORE-us” is pronounced like “sore” followed by “us.” The name translates to “Niger reptile,” acknowledging the West African country where its fossils were discovered.
The Purpose of Its Unique Dentition
Nigersaurus possessed its extensive dental battery for a specific dietary purpose. As a herbivore, it specialized in grazing on low-lying vegetation. Its wide muzzle and tooth arrangement allowed it to efficiently crop large amounts of soft plants, such as ferns, horsetails, and early flowering plants, abundant during the mid-Cretaceous period.
Each of its more than 500 teeth was part of a complex, rapid replacement system. Worn teeth were replaced by new ones approximately every 14 days, a rate among the fastest of any known dinosaur. This ensured the dinosaur always had sharp teeth for processing tough plant material. The unique jaw structure, with teeth rotated transversely, allowed for efficient shearing of vegetation, functioning like a self-sharpening conveyor belt.
Beyond the Teeth
Beyond its extraordinary dentition, Nigersaurus exhibited several other notable characteristics. It was relatively small for a sauropod, measuring about 9 meters (30 feet) in length and weighing between 1.9 to 4 tons, comparable to a modern elephant. Its skull was notably delicate and contained large openings, which reduced its overall weight.
Nigersaurus lived approximately 115 to 105 million years ago during the middle Cretaceous period in what is now the Sahara Desert. During that geological time, this region was a lush floodplain with wide rivers and abundant vegetation, a stark contrast to its arid present-day state. The dinosaur’s short neck, compared to other sauropods, suggests it primarily fed with its head close to the ground, earning it the nickname “Mesozoic cow” due to its grazing habits.