18-07-2025
Photo: João Lima/NOVA FCT
A research team has reconstructed the feeding behaviour of sauropod dinosaurs using cutting-edge dental wear analysis. Their findings, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, reveal that microscopic wear marks on tooth enamel provide surprising insights into migration, environmental conditions, and niche distribution within ecosystems from 150 million years ago.
What did long-necked dinosaurs eat, and where did they roam in search of food? How did these giant creatures live during the Jurassic period? How did they share habitats—and possibly migrate seasonally?
These questions were explored by an international team led by postdoctoral researcher Daniela E. Winkler (Kiel University), visiting scientist Emanuel Tschopp (Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change – LIB, Hamburg, and associated researcher at the Freie Universität Berlin), and André Saleiro, PhD student at the NOVA School of Science and Technology | NOVA FCT and researcher at the Lourinhã Museum. Their study employs an unusual method: using fossilised tooth wear marks as a window into the past.
“I still find it fascinating that microscopic scratches on fossil teeth can tell us so much about diet—and even behaviour,” says Winkler, a specialist in the applied methodology. The technique, known as Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA), was originally developed by a LIB research group led by Professor Thomas Kaiser for the study of mammals.
This latest study, published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, marks the first systematic application of this method to sauropods. The analyses were carried out in the LIB’s laboratories.
Tooth enamel as an environmental archive
The team analysed 322 high-resolution 3D scans of tooth surfaces from three geological formations famous for their dinosaur fossils: the Lourinhã Formation (Portugal), the Morrison Formation (USA), and the Tendaguru Formation (Tanzania). The samples came from 39 individual dinosaurs and were taken directly from original teeth or from high-resolution silicone moulds.
“We're talking about features on a micrometre scale,” explains Winkler. “These small wear marks result from interactions between the teeth and food—revealing what these animals ate in the last days or weeks of their lives.”
Some of the dinosaur teeth analysed in this study.
Surprising differences between species and regions
Statistical analyses revealed clear differences between sauropod groups and their respective geographic regions. Especially striking was the high variability in wear patterns among flagellicaudatans—a long-tailed sauropod group that includes the well-known Diplodocus. This heterogeneity suggests these animals had access to a wide range of food sources and displayed generalist feeding behaviour.
A particularly surprising finding was that Camarasaurus specimens from both Portugal and the USA showed highly consistent wear patterns. This uniformity is unlikely to be explained solely by even plant availability. Instead, it suggests that these dinosaurs deliberately sought the same preferred food sources throughout the year.
“The climate at the time, both in Portugal and the USA, was highly seasonal, meaning certain plants likely weren’t available year-round,” explains Emanuel Tschopp. “The consistent dental wear in Camarasaurus suggests they may have migrated seasonally to access the same resources.”
In contrast, the teeth of titanosauriforms from Tanzania showed significantly more intense and complex wear. Researchers interpret this as the result of environmental conditions: the Tendaguru Formation experienced tropical to semi-arid climates, and a vast nearby desert likely caused quartz sand to blow onto the plants these sauropods fed on. This sand-contaminated diet probably caused the highly abrasive wear patterns observed.
Climate—not plant diversity—as the key factor
Clear regional differences were also found: Tanzanian teeth were consistently more worn than those from Portugal or the USA. The crucial influencing factor? Climate.
“One of the most exciting aspects of this work is that we were able to relate differences in tooth wear patterns to palaeogeography and habitat preferences among different sauropod faunas,” says NOVA FCT researcher André Saleiro. These findings also inform his ongoing research: “This study helped me refine my current work on niche partitioning in herbivorous dinosaurs—focusing on specific palaeoenvironments to better understand ecological relationships and how these evolved across ecosystems.”
For Emanuel Tschopp, this behavioural dimension is among the most intriguing: “These microscopic traces suddenly allow us to make behavioural statements about these massive extinct animals. Migration, specialisation, niche use—it all becomes tangible.”
Another noteworthy aspect: wear patterns differed depending on tooth location—whether on the side (vestibular) or the chewing surface (occlusal). These differences were factored into the analysis to avoid bias.
Relevance for biodiversity research
This study not only provides new insights into the life of individual dinosaur species, but also contributes to a broader understanding of palaeoecological relationships. Niche partitioning, climate adaptations, and competition potential can now be identified even within fossilised ecosystems.
“We’ve shown that ecological principles like niche formation and migratory behaviour were important not just today, but already 150 million years ago,” says Winkler. Tschopp adds: “The Morrison Formation sauropods show an enormous diversity of species—and this diversity was only possible because they behaved differently and occupied different dietary niches.”
Looking ahead: more teeth, more knowledge
The research is far from over. Future studies will explore differences in diet between juvenile and adult sauropods, or how dwarf species like Europasaurus from Lower Saxony adapted to their specific island environments. Portuguese researcher André Saleiro is already working on an expanded dataset for Portuguese fauna, including other herbivorous dinosaurs.
“What excites me is that we can keep improving this method—and each new sample adds another piece to the puzzle,” says Winkler. “Our tools are improving—along with our understanding of what life was really like back then.” Tschopp agrees: “We’re still at the beginning with this method—but the combination of palaeontology, modern technology, and interdisciplinary collaboration allows us to gain fascinating insights into ancient worlds.”
Read the full study here.
