A combined approach to identify isolated theropod teeth from the Cenomanian Kem Kem Group of Morocco: cladistic, discriminant, and machine learning analyses

Hendrickx C, Trapman TH, Wills S, Holwerda FM, Stein KH, Rauhut OW, Melzer RR, Woensel JV, Reumer JW (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology Society of Vertebrate Paleontology

Book Volume: 43

Article Number: e2311791

Journal Issue: 4

DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2024.2311791

Abstract

The Kem Kem Group of Southeastern Morocco, North Africa, is well known for theropod remains, especially isolated teeth. Here, a collection of isolated theropod teeth is assessed for diversity using a combination of linear discriminant, phylogenetic, and machine learning analyses for the first time. The results confirm earlier studies on Kem Kem theropod diversity, with teeth referred to Abelisauridae, Spinosaurinae, and Carcharodontosauridae. A single tooth is ascribed to a non-abelisauroid ceratosaur or a megaraptoran and may represent the enigmatic averostran Deltadromeus. Spinosaurine teeth are clearly differentiated by all three methodologies, whereas abelisaurid and carcharodontosaurid teeth could only be distinguished by the machine learning and phylogenetic analyses. This study shows that a combination of independent methods is most effective at providing strong evidence on theropod dental diversity in a particular assemblage, and that cladistic and machine learning analyses are the most reliable approaches to identify isolated dinosaur teeth. The methodology used here is likely to yield results in other dinosaur assemblages where isolated teeth are more abundant than body fossils.

Involved external institutions

Royal Tyrrell Museum CA Canada (CA) Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) BE Belgium (BE) Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie DE Germany (DE) Natural History Museum Rotterdam / Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam NL Netherlands (NL) Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) / Catholic University of Leuven BE Belgium (BE) University of Bath GB United Kingdom (GB) Natural History Museum London GB United Kingdom (GB) Universiteit Utrecht (UU) / Utrecht University NL Netherlands (NL)

How to cite

APA:

Hendrickx, C., Trapman, T.H., Wills, S., Holwerda, F.M., Stein, K.H., Rauhut, O.W.,... Reumer, J.W. (2023). A combined approach to identify isolated theropod teeth from the Cenomanian Kem Kem Group of Morocco: cladistic, discriminant, and machine learning analyses. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 43(4). https://doi.org/10.1080/02724634.2024.2311791

MLA:

Hendrickx, Christophe, et al. "A combined approach to identify isolated theropod teeth from the Cenomanian Kem Kem Group of Morocco: cladistic, discriminant, and machine learning analyses." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 43.4 (2023).

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