pharyngeal teeth
Deep mouth grinders
Pharyngeal teeth are teeth located in the throat rather than the jaw, found in many fish species.
These teeth sit on bones in the pharynx and help crush, grind, or process food after it enters the mouth.
Carp use pharyngeal teeth to grind plant matter; moray eels have a second set that pulls prey down the throat.
The biologist examined the pharyngeal teeth to identify the species.
- common carpDomesticated Asian freshwater fish
- carpWhine about trivialities
- minnowSmall freshwater fish
- grindingMolar action sometimes
- crushingOverwhelming in intensity
chew food · gill · throat · jaw · fish · bone · molar · chewing · freshwater · bony fish · bottom-feeder · mastication · food processing · prey · snail · mollusk · bottom feeding · vertebrae