Giants Under a Microscope: Revealing Sauropodomorph Dinosaur Paleobiology Through the Bone and Tooth Microstructure

The paleobiology of sauropodomorph dinosaurs has historically garnered considerable interest, primarily because this clade includes the largest terrestrial vertebrates. Bone and tooth microstructures are crucial sources of paleobiological data, and many paleohistological studies have focused on this group. Here we review and synthesize the main advances in an understanding of sauropodomorph paleobiology derived from osteological and dental histology. We explore a wide range of topics, including age assessment, ontogenetic stages, growth rates, growth dynamics and life histories, skeletal element formation, soft tissue reconstructions, paleopathologies, paleocytology, and tooth implantation and replacement rates. We also provide a comprehensive bibliographic review of the published literature detailing sauropodomorph bone and/or tooth histology.