Generally the term crocodile is used to refer to a diversity of animals that are of different species and also belong to different families. In this sense, the order Crocodilios is formed by three families: Alligatoridae (aligators and caimans), Crocodylidae (crocodiles) and Gavialidae (gharials); In this way, in a strict sense, only those belonging to the Crocodylidae family are true crocodiles.
Although each of these groups has its own particular characteristics, they all share certain common traits. Among them we can mention that they are highly ste althy predators, experts in stalking and ambushing their prey quite effectively. Some species of these sauropsids are more aggressive than others, but in general, thanks to their dental structures, they are usually effective hunters. We invite you to continue reading this article on our site so that together we can answer the following question: How many teeth does a crocodile have?
What are crocodile jaws like?
All species of the crocodilian order have a similar postcranial anatomy, as well as other features, however, the craniodental structure does vary from one species to another. The jaws of these animals are in all cases elongated, but can be thin or wide depending on the species, and are generally quite strong but structurally weak when bent. The fact of being elongated offers a greater impact zone when shaking the mouth from one side to the other when it has captured a prey.
The snouts of alligators and alligators, for example, tend to be wide, but in the case of crocodiles, they can vary, in some it is wide and in others thin, while in gharials they are quite narrow and long. In general, all these animals have the ability to open their mouths quite wide and have powerful muscles that make it very difficult to open their jaws, especially when they have captured a prey, but the opposite occurs with the muscles responsible for closing the jaws, which are much less strong; for this reason, when they are captured, it is not so difficult to keep their mouths shut.
On the other hand, some studies have been carried out to establish a correlation between the shape of the jaws of these animals and the force of the bite, however, there are no conclusive results in this regard.
Types of crocodile teeth
The teeth of crocodiles, as well as the rest of the group, are housed in dental alveoli, that is, in compartments that are They form in the alveolar bone, which is the bony structure of the jaw, where each of the teeth are inserted, and they are easily appreciated despite having the mouth closed, unlike alligators and alligators, in which they are not visualized. completely in these cases.
These dental structures vary according to the animal, from a blunt shape and generally compressed, to others with a pointed shape. In species that have wide snouts, it is common to find irregular teeth of different sizes. On the other hand, those with thin jaws tend to be more regular and of the same size.
Coarse teeth in crocodiles
It has been shown that those species with wide snouts and blunt teeth tend to have a more opportunistic and varied dietAn example is found in the s altwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and the American crocodile (Alligator mississippiensis), who can consume practically any animal that comes near the body of water where they live.
Sharp crocodile teeth
In contrast, those animals with thin snouts and needle-shaped teeth have a more specific diet and consist of more docile animals such as fish, insects, small reptiles or crustaceans, such as the Australian freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnsoni) and the Indian gharial (Gavialis gangeticus).
For more information, we encourage you to read this other article on Crocodile feeding.
How many teeth does a crocodile have altogether?
In general, these animals may have between 70 or 80 teeth in total, however, there are species that may havemore than 100 As in sharks, members of the order Crocodilios have the possibility of replacing teeth that they lose, either because they break or wear regularly. However, as they age, this ability decreases. For all these reasons, if we add these renovations, without a doubt an individual can overcome thousands of dental structures throughout his life.
Types of crocodiles and number of teeth
Now let's see some examples of crocodiles and their number of teeth:
- American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis): about 80 teeth, all the same size.
- False gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii): it has between 76 and 84 pointed teeth in its long, narrow jaws.
- Gavial (Gavialis gangeticus): can have between 106 and 110 sharp teeth distributed in 5 premaxillae, 23-24 maxillae and 25- 26 mandibular in each jaw.
Studies and computerized models estimate that the teeth of these vertebrates are capable of making a bite nine times stronger than animals with the same head size. Mainly, species with wide snouts have these bite powers, which is lower in those with thin snouts.
Crocodile conservation status
Crocodiles and other animals of the crocodilian group are imposing predators of the ecosystems they inhabit, and without a doubt, despite being so ste althy when hunting, many of them do not go unnoticed once they are displayed.
For many decades, different species of these specimens have gone through major crises in their population rates, because their maximum and actually The only predator, the human being, has wreaked havoc not only with the direct hunting of these sauropsids, but also with the destruction of their habitat, which undoubtedly has a decisive influence on the maintenance and development of the various species.
