Earth’s Tiny Creatures and Their Teeth
Have you ever read about the most dangerous mouths of the sea? What about the most unusual animal teeth in the world? It is exciting to explore and learn about incredible creatures dwelling on this planet, and we thought it would be fun to delve into the fun facts of some of the world’s amazing tiny creatures.
In this article, we’ll be getting to know 10 fascinating tiny creatures along with their dental structures. You might be learning about these creatures for the first time, so brace yourself and read on.
1. Philippine Tarsier
Because tarsier eyes are too large to spin in their sockets, the animal has the capacity to swivel its head nearly 180 degrees in each direction just to look around. Their big ears can detect high frequencies transmitted by their prey, and the structures swivel, allowing the tarsier to hear in all directions. Moreover, their long, bouncy legs allow them to hop lengths of up to five meters, and their fingertips are tipped with swelling pads that help them clasp trees.
About its teeth:
Tarsiers are prosimians, or primitive monkeys, belonging to the Tarsiidae family and are found in Southeast Asian islands. They only have 34 teeth, compared to their closest prosimian relatives, lemurs and lorises, which have 36 teeth. Tarsiers also have an upper lip that is not connected to the gum underneath, allowing them to move their faces like primates, monkeys, and apes.
2. Pygmy Rabbit
The color of this rabbit is slate gray—however, it can turn brown throughout the summer. It has short ears and a practically undetectable tail that does not have the white pigmentation present in other rabbits. Pygmy rabbits prefer thick, dense sagebrush to live in, and sagebrush accounts for a large portion of their diet.
About its teeth:
You can greatly help your pygmy rabbit (and any other pet rabbit) by providing hay, which naturally grinds their teeth as it chews. You can also use wood pieces, wooden hampers, and other cage furnishings to help rabbits clip their teeth.
3. Dwarf Lantern Shark
The dwarf lantern shark, like other lantern sharks, has photophores (light-emitting organs) throughout its belly and fins. When they feed in shallower water, the lit-up belly blends in with sunlight coming down from above, which helps camouflage them. Smaller animals are attracted to the light in darker water, which aids this shark in capturing its prey.
About its teeth:
Each of the bottom teeth has a single, sharply angled cusp, and the bases of the teeth are linked to provide a seamless cutting edge.
4. Leopard Gecko
Owning a leopard gecko is a major commitment because they can grow to be 6 to 10 inches long and live for 10 to 20 years in captivity. They like to live alone, but if treated cautiously, they can become accustomed to being handled as a pet.
The eyes of a healthy gecko are clear and bright, and the tail is thick. Only while it is resting should its belly touch the ground.
Pet leopard geckos need a cage that simulates their native environment, with hiding spots along with low, robust branches or rocks for climbing. The floor covering must also be natural to reduce the risk of impaction, a potentially fatal condition in which particles become trapped inside your gecko's abdomen and cause airway obstruction.
About its teeth:
The presence of stem cells in the dental lamina of leopard geckos could explain their continuous tooth development. As a result, leopard geckos' ability to continuously develop new teeth shows that their epithelial stem cells can divide multiple times to form new sets of teeth.
5. Bee Hummingbird
The female bee hummingbird, on one hand, has a turquoise top and a pale grey underside. This species is easily distinguished by its small size and short bill. The sound of their wings in flight is similar to that of a bumblebee, hence its name. A lengthy, high-pitched, jumbled tweet is its most common sound.
About its teeth:
6. Nutria
About its teeth:
It's not a coincidence that their teeth are orange. Their enamel contains a pigment made of mineral iron, which gives them their color. The mineral iron content gives their teeth a stronger and stiffer texture, allowing the smoother back parts to grind down more quickly. All of this results in the teeth taking on a chisel-like shape that substantially enhances gnawing.
7. Dragonfish
The deep sea dragonfish, also known as the scaleless dragonfish, is a vicious predator that lives in the world's deepest oceans. Its scientific name is Grammatostomias flagellibarba, and it has enormous teeth in comparison to its body size.
Despite its horrible appearance, it is a little fish that only measures approximately 6 inches (15 centimeters) in length. Dragonfish come in a variety of shapes and sizes. All of them have a striking resemblance to each other.
This dragonfish is one of many deep sea fish species that can make their own light using a chemical process called bioluminescence. A specific organ called a photophore produces the light. These flashing lights are thought to be used by the fish to attract prey and perhaps communicate possible mates in the dark seas.
About its teeth:
8. Naked Mole-Rat
The skin of naked mole-rats is wrinkled pink or grayish-pink on the undersides and pale purplish-brown on the backs and tails. With increasing age, this countershading appears to be lost. Naked mole-rats typically measure 3 inches (7.5 cm) in length and weigh 1-1.5 ounces (28-42 grams). Soldiers, on the other hand, can weigh up to 2 ounces (57 grams), while the queen, the colony's largest member, can weigh up to 2.5 ounces (71 grams).
Furthermore, they don't have external ears and their eyes are small, hence, they are considered virtually blind. Their sense of smell is vital, and they are also quite sensitive to ground vibrations and air current movement.
About its teeth:
Their chisel-like, ever-growing incisor teeth, which are really located beyond the mouth (extra buccal), and huge and powerful masseter jaw muscles are used to dig these tunnels. Their lips are really closed while they dig with their teeth, keeping soil from entering their mouth.
9. Yellow Boxfish
The Polka-dot Boxfish, also known as Yellow Boxfish, has a body that is almost precisely shaped like a cube. It has dark-blue dots and is yellow or cream in hue. As they become older, their bodies get more elongated and their hue changes to yellow-green. The specks turn white and are surrounded by blue rings.
About its teeth:
10. Goosander Tooth Duck
These attractive diving ducks belong to the sawbill family, which gets its name from the long, serrated bills that they use to capture fish. The goosander, a mostly freshwater bird, was first bred in the United Kingdom in 1871. It grew in numbers in Scotland, then moved over northern England and Wales, eventually reaching southwest England, beginning in 1970.
Male goosanders have white bodies, dark green heads, black backs, and long, hooked red bills. A pink glow can be seen on the white sides and breasts. In contrast, females have a white throat and a gingery or reddish-brown head.
About its teeth:
Its passion for salmon and trout has caused it to clash with fishermen. It's a convivial bird that gathers in flocks of thousands in several parts of Europe.
So those are 10 of the world’s amazing tiny creatures along with their unique dental structures. Is it your first time hearing about some of them? If so, you can learn more about them by following the links, researching about their origin, or you can visit these tiny creatures at some designated animal conservation parks, zoos, or aquariums where they are well-taken care of- or you can even keep some of these species as pets!
At Jungle Roots Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics, we strive to provide the highest comprehensive pediatric and orthodontic dental care in a unique, fun-filled environment staffed by a team of caring, energetic professionals. We believe the establishment of a “dental home” at an early age is the key to a lifetime of positive visits to the dentist.
