Heterodont

Heterodont

The anatomical term heterodont (from Greek, meaning 'different teeth') refers to animals which possess more than a single tooth morphology. For example, members of the Synapsida (which includes mammals) generally possess incisors, canines ('eyeteeth'), premolars, and molars. The presence of heterodont dentition is evidence of some degree of feeding/hunting specialization in a species. By contrast, homodont ('same teeth') dentition is the plesiomorphic state for vertebrates, and is common in elasmobranchs, bony fish, amphibians, and most reptiles. Within the Sauropsida, there are occasionally cases of heterodonty, in some forms of pterosaurs like "Raeticodactylus filisurensis", lizards, and dinosaurs, for example.

The term heterodont can also refer to members of the Subclass Heterodonta of the Class Bivalvia. The name refers to the differentiated hinge teeth which hold together the valves of the shell.

ee also

* Diphodonty


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  • heterodont — HETERODÓNT, Ă, heterodonţi, te, adj., s.m. (Animal) care are dinţii diferenţiaţi în canini, incisivi, molari etc. – Din fr. hétérodont. Trimis de gall, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  heterodónt adj. m., s. m., pl. heterodónţi; …   Dicționar Român

  • Heterodont — Het er*o*dont, n. (Zo[ o]l.) Any animal with heterodont dentition. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heterodont — Het er*o*dont, a. [Hetero + Gr. ?, ? a tooth.] (Anat.) Having the teeth differentiated into incisors, canines, and molars, as in man; opposed to homodont. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Heterodónt — heißen Tiere mit ungleichartiger Bezahnung …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Heterodónt — (grch.) heißen Wirbeltiergebisse mit verschiedenen Arten von Zähnen, wie die der meisten Säugetiere …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • heterodont — Having teeth of varying shapes, such as those of humans and the majority of mammals, in contrast to homodont. [hetero + G. odous, tooth] * * * het·er·odont het ər ə .dänt adj having the teeth differentiated into incisors, canines, and molars… …   Medical dictionary

  • heterodont — I. nt adjective Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary heter + odont 1. : having the teeth differentiated into incisors, canines, and molars heterodont mammals man is heterodont opposed to …   Useful english dictionary

  • heterodont — 1. adjective Having teeth of different types (like most mammals) 2. noun a) A heterodont animal b) A North American snake of the genus Heterodon …   Wiktionary

  • Heterodont — Heterodontie (Anisodontie) ist die Bezeichnung für das Vorhandensein verschiedenartig ausgebildeter Zahngruppen in einem Gebiss. Dieses ist typisch für Säugetiere, so haben diese meistens Schneidezähne, Eckzähne, Prämolaren und Molaren. Das… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • heterodont — more than one type of teeth within the same fish, e.g. Anarhichadidae, Heterodontus. Dignathic heterodonty has teeth differing in the upper and lower jaws, monognathic heterodonty within one jaw …   Dictionary of ichthyology

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