What specialized dental structure allowed Parasaurolophus to break down fibrous materials?
Answer
Dental batteries composed of hundreds of tightly packed teeth
The key to breaking down the tough, fibrous diet of the Parasaurolophus lay within its dental batteries. These structures consisted of dense grinding surfaces formed by hundreds of teeth packed together tightly. This arrangement provided the immense grinding power necessary to process woody structures like cycad stems or conifer needles effectively. A critical feature of these batteries was their constant replacement, which was necessary due to the intense abrasion caused by continually masticating high-fiber vegetation day after day.
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