How 3-horned dino's 'knife-like' teeth gave them richer, more varied diet

A new study has suggested that the three-horned dinosaur called the Triceratops may have been a little more complex than previously thought.

Florida State University's study found that their teeth were far more intricate than any reptile or mammal living today and that the Triceratops developed teeth that could finely slice through dense material giving them a richer and more varied diet than modern-day reptiles.

Researcher Gregory Erickson said that it's just been assumed that dinosaurs didn't do things like mammals, but in some ways, they're actually more complex.

Erickson discovered that Triceratops teeth were made of five layers of tissue. In contrast, herbivorous horse and bison teeth, once considered the most complex ever to evolve, have four layers of tissue. Crocodiles and other reptiles have just two.

He said that each of those tissues does something and they're not just there for looks.

A sophisticated three-dimensional model was developed to show how each tissue wore with use in a strategic manner to create a complex surface with a fuller (a recessed area in the middle, much like those seen in fighting knives and swords) on each tooth. This served to reduce friction during biting and promote efficient feeding.

The study appears in the journal Science Advances.