Disease, erosion, insects, and exposure after death can all leave impressions that mimic tooth marks. To identify what made these particular traces, researchers examined their shape, depth, orientation, and spacing. They also combined their observations with previous research to create a guide for distinguishing genuine tooth traces from misleading look-alikes. The authors add: “Correctly identifying bone depressions and perforations is important because not all of these features are tooth marks. “The study of tooth marks on fossil bones is important because it provides valuable insights into animal behavior and interactions between species.”