Rhynchosaur Extinction Preceded Dinosaurs Due to Weak Teeth

The Rhynchosaur, an ancient reptile that lived between 250 and 225 million years ago, predating the era of dinosaurs, had specialized dental systems that were adapted for dealing with masses of tough plant food. However, the relentless wear on their teeth caused by tough vegetation meant that they would most likely starve to death in their old age. Rhynchosaur fossils are a rare find, and they played a crucial role in the Triassic ecosystems as life reemerged from the world’s largest mass extinction that marked the end of the Permian Period.