Jan 13, 2025

From sharks to snails: Fascinating teeth of extraordinary creatures

Siddhartha Jana

Throughout their lives, great white sharks can have up to 35,000 teeth, which they grow and replace to help with feeding and hunting.

Source: Canva

Giant armadillos have 80 to 100 teeth that grow over their lifetime, allowing them to dig for insects in tough terrain.

Source: Canva

Saltwater crocodiles can have up to 80 teeth, with 15 on the lower jaw and 18 on each side of the upper jaw. They replace their teeth every 20 months.

Source: Canva

Sargassum frogfish can catch larger prey because they have hundreds of strong teeth.

Source: Wikimedia commons

Throughout their lives, African elephants can grow six molars, totalling 26 teeth and weighing several kilogrammes.

Source: Canva

Although they are too little to bite larger creatures, little brown bats can have up to 38 specialised teeth.

Source: Canva

To assist them eat their prey, channel catfish have millions of small brush-like teeth.

Source: Canva

Garden snails have approximately 14,000 tiny teeth placed in rows on their tongue to aid feeding.

Source: Canva

During hunting, bottlenose dolphins' 250 teeth are crucial for capturing and gripping slick prey.

Source: Canva

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