Anglerfish have invisible fangs, narwhal tusks are extra-long canines, and more facts from the weird and wonderful study of teeth will astound you In

The Tooth Is Stranger Than Fiction

submited by
Style Pass
2024-11-17 22:30:04

Anglerfish have invisible fangs, narwhal tusks are extra-long canines, and more facts from the weird and wonderful study of teeth will astound you

In this bridled parrotfish (Scarus frenatus) beak, layers and layers of teeth can be seen compressing into an incredibly stiff conglomerate structure.

Do you think teeth are boring or gross? From the iron-laden teeth of Komodo dragons to the horns on unicorns of the sea, the animal kingdom is filled with marvelous dental adaptations that will have you thinking again.

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

Cartilaginous fishes such as sharks, rays, skates and chimaeras grow three-dimensional scales on the surface of their skin. Each toothlike scale has a pulp cavity containing blood vessels and nerves and is covered in a mineralized, enamel-like tissue called enameloid. These scales—very unlike bony fishes’ flat dinner-plate-like scales—are called denticles and have widely different shapes and features, not just across species but also in an individual fish. Denticles found on a shark’s nose might be flat and round, resembling the patched surface of a soccer ball. But elsewhere on the body the denticles might look like overlapping cupped hands with ridges and points.

Leave a Comment