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Article: Evolutionary origins of teeth in jawed vertebrates: conflicting data from acanthothoracid dental plates (‘Placodermi’)

Palaeontology - Volume 60 Part 6 - Cover Image
Publication: Palaeontology
Volume: 60
Part: 6
Publication Date: November 2017
Page(s): 829 836
Author(s): Moya Meredith Smith, Brett Clark, Daniel Goujet, and Zerina Johanson
Addition Information

How to Cite

MEREDITH SMITH, M., CLARK, B., GOUJET, D., JOHANSON, Z. 2017. Evolutionary origins of teeth in jawed vertebrates: conflicting data from acanthothoracid dental plates (‘Placodermi’). Palaeontology, 60, 6, 829-836. DOI: 10.1111/pala.12318

Author Information

  • Moya Meredith Smith - Dental Institute Tissue Engineering & Biophotonics King's College London London UK (Email: moya.smith@kcl.ac.uk)
  • Moya Meredith Smith - Department of Earth Sciences Natural History Museum London UK
  • Brett Clark - Department of Earth Sciences Natural History Museum London UK
  • Daniel Goujet - UMR 7207 CR2P CNRS/MNHN/UPMC Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle Paris France
  • Zerina Johanson - Department of Earth Sciences Natural History Museum London UK

Publication History

  • Issue published online: 06 October 2017
  • Manuscript Accepted: 11 June 2017
  • Manuscript Received: 23 November 2016

Funded By

NERC Standard. Grant Numbers: NE/K01434X/1754, NE/K014235/1

Online Version Hosted By

Wiley Online Library (Open Access)
Get Article: Wiley Online Library [Open Access]

Abstract

Placoderms (Devonian fossil fishes) are resolved phylogenetically to the base of jawed vertebrates and provide important evidence for evolutionary origins of teeth, particularly with respect to the Arthrodira. The arthrodires represent a derived group of placoderms; the dentition of other more primitive placoderms such as the acanthothoracids is less well known. Articulated acanthothoracid dental plates are rare; x‐ray computed tomography of a single, unique specimen, along with 3D segmentation of bone, oral denticles and vascular spaces, provides intrinsic developmental and topological information relevant to tooth origins. Recently, a disarticulated element was identified as a dental plate of the acanthothoracid Romundina stellina, with synchrotron microtomography providing characters to comment on ongoing debates regarding the evolution of teeth. We used segmental quantitative methods to re‐analyse this data, for comparison to the articulated and unquestionable acanthothoracid dental plates above. We demonstrate substantial differences between these, disputing the identity of the isolated plate of R. stellina as a dental plate, and thus its relevance to questions of tooth evolution.

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