Feeding behavior of the Gondwanic Crocodylomorpha Mariliasuchus amarali from the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Basin, Brazil

Abstract

Mariliasuchus amarali Carvalho and Bertini, 1999 is a Cretaceous Crocodylomorpha (Notosuchia) from the Bauru Basin, Brazil. The feeding behavior of M. amarali is analysed and interpreted based on the articular–quadrate articulation, pattern of teeth occlusion and the chemical composition of coprolites. The articulation between the articular and quadrate bones and the teeth abrasion pattern allow to infer that this notosuchian probably moved the jaw antero-posteriorly, processing the food before swallowing it. M. amarali should have kept the food inside the oral cavity during the feeding process, increasing the effectiveness of mastication. The post-caniniform tooth row is medially displaced in relation to the skull, suggesting the presence of a large conjunctive tissue. The structure and shape of the anterior caniniform and incisiform teeth exclude the possibility of an entirely herbivorous diet. Based on the morphological data and on the physical and chemical analyses of coprolites, it is interpreted that it had omnivorous feeding habits. The shape and abrasion pattern of the incisiform teeth suggest that Mariliasuchus employed the prominent anterior incisiform teeth for an active digging behavior.