JoltVib

Ancient fish sawed through prey with a spiral blade of teeth

"Imagine that... instead of having a tongue, you have this large spiral of teeth." That's how the Helicoprion, a fish that lived over 270 million years ago, captured and ate its prey. The distinct stretch of teeth on the nearly 25-foot long creature was a source of uncertainty to scientists, but researchers at Idaho State University have determined how the seemingly deadly jawline works."As the mouth closes, the teeth spin backwards... so they slash through the meat that they are biting into," Dr. Leif Tapanila told the BBC.

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Kary Bruening

Update: 2024-05-23