Teeth affect the way nearly all mammals eat and live, their diet and often their survival.
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Mammal teeth are of 3 sorts: 1, incisors, 2, canines, 3, molars and premolars, found on each jaw (top and bottom). But there are many exceptions to this design, and all very successful. |
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No teeth These mammal groups have no teeth at all: Duck-billed platypus, Echidna, Giant anteater, Pangolin and Baleen whales. |
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No top front teeth These mammal groups have no top front teeth (upper incisors): Cattle and Sheep (Bovidae family), Deer (Cervidae family), Camels and Llamas (Camelidae family), Chevrotains (Tragulidae family). |
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Milk teeth Many mammals have “milk teeth” that they are born with, but lose in their early life to be replaced by adult teeth. Cattle are born with 8 and lose 2 each year until they are four years old. Farmers can use this to tell how old cows, sheep and goats are. Deer also are born with 8, and lose 2 after six months, and all the rest are gone by the time they reach one year old. Horses are born with no teeth, but by two weeks all 6 top and 6 bottom incisors have appeared. These all fall out and are replaced by the time they reach two and a half years old. Some rodents, and seals and walruses lose their milk teeth in utero. |
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Missing front teeth Some mammals have no top or bottom incisors. Aardvarks have no front teeth (incisors or canines). Elephant tusks are 2 long front incisors, they have no other front teeth. Asian Rhinos have front teeth, but African Rhinos have none top or bottom. |
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Moving back teeth Elephants have unique back teeth (molars), the largest on the planet. They use just 4 at a time (top and bottom, left and right), when worn, they are replaced from behind, not below, like all other mammals. The old teeth move forward and fall out. Sea cows and Manatees are similar, but use 4 teeth at a time. |
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Teeth that always grow All rodent groups have 2 front teeth only. These grow all the time, they need to be used to wear them down: Guinea pigs, maras, capybara-Caviidae family, Rats and mice - Muridae family, Squirrels - Sciuridae family, Beavers and Mountain Beavers, Rabbits and Pikas - Lagomorphs, Mole-rats - Bathyergidae family |
This page was last modified: 15th December 2006
Noah's Ark is a spectacular hands-on zoo with huge indoor adventure playgrounds and the world's longest hedge maze, all on a genuine working farm!
Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, Clevedon Road, Wraxall, Bristol, BS48 1PG
Noah's Ark is a spectacular hands-on zoo with huge indoor adventure playgrounds and the world's longest hedge maze, all on a genuine working farm!
Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, Clevedon Road, Wraxall, Bristol, BS48 1PG
