The Nigersaurus ended up being a viral web meme experience after the meme from Reddit, “Don’t Google the web with what dinosaur has 500 teeth,” damaged the internet. Commonly, a straightforward Google auto-suggestion conjures up some peculiar occasions that spark interest in a specific issue or subject amongst the masses. The case of the Nigersaurus is, additionally, the same. This meat-eating dinosaur, which lived 115 million years ago in the Republic of Niger, a small country in West Africa, was nothing like the meme! So, what did this one-of-a-kind dinosaur resemble during its prime-time show? And how was it found? We offer a quick discussion on this well-known “dinosaur with 500 teeth.”
Exploration.
Phillippe Taquet initially discussed Nigersaurus in a research paper in 1976. This French paleontologist initially uncovered the remains in 1965-1972 during an expedition in the Republic of Niger. Yet, there was no complete skeleton, so the exploration frequently went unnoticed.
An American paleontologist from Chicago College, conducted an expedition in 1999 in the Elrahz Formation, Gadoyfaoua, in the Republic of Niger. He uncovered the complete skeleton of this carnivorous dinosaur. Nigersaurus and his coworker Jeffrey A. Wilson once again provided a summary of Nigersaurus’ head and feeding behaviors in 2007. He also offered a complete plastic design of the dinosaur’s head to the National Geographic Society in Washington.
In his internet journal, Sereno made access on September 9, 2000: “Nigersaurus, you could remember, was named for bones accumulated on the last expedition right here three years ago. This sauropod (long-necked dinosaur) has an unusual head, including 500 slim teeth. A significant goal of this expedition is to locate the remainder of this uncommon dinosaur so we can describe it and reconstruct it for every person to see”.
He likewise provided a detailed account of how the group uncovered this unique dinosaur with 500 teeth. As per his description, “While walking across a flat location, Gabe made an amazing discovery—the bones of a brand-new plant-eating dinosaur lay partly exposed at her feet. She brushed away the sand from the top of her jaw. Close-by lay part of the foundation and the hip bones. This was a mean client– the bones are from a skeleton that would certainly gauge approximately 30 feet long! We hope to locate more evidence of this sharp-toothed creature as the period progresses.”
Some other fossils associated with this dinosaur, with 500 teeth, were uncovered in Brazil. A complete fossil is still to be discovered. Therefore, building an entire skeletal system of the renowned Nigersaurus was difficult. Nonetheless, paleontologists are doing their best to conduct a thorough investigation to learn more about this ancient pet.
Why the Name?
Nigersaurus has become a topic for net memes due to its peculiar name. However, if you look closely, the name is a clinical method of calling dinosaurs. This dinosaur has the taxonomic name Nigersaurus taqueria under the category “Nigersaurus,” which implies “Niger reptile” or a reptile from Niger(the Republic of Niger).
The variety’s name also pays homage to Phillippe Taqueti, who first mentioned this dinosaur.
Did it have 500 Teeth?
Well, it did, practically. Nigersaurus had a skull with 500 slender teeth. However, every one of these teeth was not long-term. The total of 500 teeth Nigersaurus had were made up of irreversible and substitute teeth!
What did this Dinosaur with 500 Teeth Look Like?
In other words, Nigersaurus resembles the Sauropods. It used to have a smaller head with shorter hind legs and a tail like any other dinosaur. It was only 9 m high, with a thigh of 1 m. According to paleontologists, they should have considered four bunches. For this reason, a Nigersaurus may have had a modern-day elephant’s comparable height and weight. As a result of its body framework, it has a short neck with only thirteen cervical vertebrae.
Its Skull
Nigersaurus has four openings in its head, called Fenestra, a lot more significant than various other dinosaurs with longer necks. However, the skull was strong enough to withstand the shearing of the 500 teeth. It also had bony as well as lengthened nostrils.
Their snouts were much shorter. Yet, remarkably, Nigersaurus had much faster nerves. Their tooth row was not prognathous, and their snot tip was symmetrical to the tooth collection. An additional distinct function of the Nigersaurus was that their lengthened heads opted for significant anxiety in the cerebral area. Furthermore, their maxillary teeth were likewise rotated with the same lower jaw turning. This one-of-a-kind feature allowed their mouth to accommodate all 500 teeth.
Their teeth were ideally designed for their meat-eating mindset. The lower teeth were 20–30% smaller than the top jaw teeth. Furthermore, the teeth had bent tooth crowns and asymmetrical enamel (thicker on the outside). It permitted them to tear plants from the ground degree.
Body
Paul Sereno described this dinosaur as an ancient crocodile. It had armor plates put on its back for 1 foot. It has dramatically punctured vertebral arches with thick interesting laminae between the pneumatic openings. The vertebrae of its tail did not include any strong centra. Its pelvic and pectoral problems were just a few millimeters thick. Like any other sauropod or elongated dinosaur, it likewise had durable limbs. The front may have been two-thirds of the hind legs, a unique attribute of Diplodocus.
Dinosaur Classification with 500 Teeth
Touquet initially consisted of Nigersaurus and a dicraeosaurus. Sereno, however, reclassified it as a rebbachisaurid diplodocoid. Based on him, it also had much shorter necks, a feature of rebbachisaurid diplodocids.
Below is its scientific classification.
- Kingdom: Animalia.
- Phylum: Chordata.
- Superfamily: Diplodocoidea.
- Family: Rebbachisauridae.
- Subfamily: Rebecchi, Suriname.
- Genus: Nigersaurus.
- Nigersaurus taqueti is the variety.
- What did it eat?
Nigersaurus was first thought to be a herbivore. But it is believed to be a herbivore like any other sauropod. It has minor parallel tooth scrapes with pits. This commonly occurs in herbivores that feed off ground-level flora like ferns, weeds, etc. The lawn did not develop throughout this period. For this reason, this dinosaur with 500 teeth survived on horsetails, angiosperms, brushes, etc. However, they did not feed on cycads, marine vegetation, or conifers because of their stiff necks and height.
You can compare them with modern-day flamingoes. Nigersaurus might have utilized its teeth like a comb to remove marine brushes and other plants throughout its diet, like these pink birds. But, based on what Sereno said, nigersaurus may have eaten young conifers and other ground-level plants too.
As a result of the lateral alignment of its teeth, it was not able to eat plants very well. This, consequently, caused quick degeneration of their teeth. For this reason, they required this large quantity of 500 teeth to ensure a brand-new and functioning one replaced the negative ones. Their tooth replacement costs are higher than those of any other herbivore dinosaur!
Where Did it Live?
Nigersaurus lived in the Elhaz Formation of the Tenma Group, situated in Gadoufaoua in the Republic of Niger. This area has fluvial sandstones with low relief and occasional dunes with coarse-medium grains. But, this place was a floodplain throughout the microscopic cretaceous period. The marshland used sufficient food from ground-level plants to maintain itself.
Conclusion
So, if you look into it, Nigersaurus is a simple, safe dinosaur that probably lived 115 million years ago. Researchers need to uncover even more about this dinosaur to recognize it in a far better way!