Tooth of Herbivorous Rodent (IMAGE)

European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

Tooth of Herbivorous Rodent

Caption

This image shows the tooth of an herbivorous rodent studied with three different indices. (A) The height of the tooth crown represents the height of the tooth divided by its length. An herbivorous diet is considered abrasive and requires a very high tooth to compensate for the effect of wear. (B)The complexity of the tooth is represented by the number of patches that can be seen in (B). The more complex the tooth, the greater is its capacity to break down food during chewing (which is what is required for plants). The volumetric index represents the volume of the tooth divided by the total volume (in purple) shown in (C) and (D). Elaborated and tested in this study, it refers to the bluntness or, conversely, the sharpness of teeth according to diet.

Credit

Vincent Lazzari

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