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PIC OF THE MONTH Crocodilian images which reveal fascinating stories told from a visual perspective. |
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1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 JAN 01 | FEB 01 | MAR 01 | APR 01 | MAY 01 | JUN 01 JUL 01 | AUG 01 | SEP 01 | OCT 01 | NOV 01 | DEC 01 All the better to bite you with...  These amber teeth belong to a juvenile Cuvier's dwarf caiman, Paleosuchus palpebrosus. You can see that each tooth has a fairly simple design: sharp and conical. Juveniles use these teeth to grasp and impale small prey like insects and fish. These teeth also perforate the skin or outer casing of a meal, which makes it easier for the powerful stomach acids to digest the prey's interior once swallowed. Throughout its life, the caiman replaces its teeth regularly: several times a year when young, once a year when it gets older. Each successive tooth is larger than the one it replaces, and also slightly blunter. This is because the caiman develops a stronger bite as it gets larger, which means the teeth don't need to be needle-sharp. This is more pronounced in many species of crocodile where the back teeth can become quite rounded and blunt. These are ideal for crushing and splitting open hard casings and shell (eg. snails, crabs). The front teeth always remain long and conical, however - great for puncturing and holding onto struggling prey items. This is barely scratching the surface of crocodilian teeth, but they are not as undifferentiated as they are often made out to be. Do you have a photograph which you'd like to become the Pic of the Month? Submit it and I'll select the best. The best photograph I receive each year will receive a prize - an Ilfochrome print - to be awarded in December. |
