Folded teeth in temnospondyls — a preliminary study

Abstract
Temnospondyl amphibians have numerous teeth which are typically internally convoluted. In this paper we look for derived features of the distribution of both cranial and mandibular teeth and also examine the extent of their convolution. We show that some features of the distribution and convolution are family linked. Overall, the degree of complexity as shown by the number of infolds and infold bends, increases with the size of the dental element. Bending of infolds appears to be more frequent within the superfamily Capitosauroidea, while among the trematosaurian group of temnospondyls bending is less pronounced, with two families, the Plagiosauridae and Rhytidosteidae, showing no bends in marginal teeth and only minimal bending in the largest rhytidosteid tusks.