Ontogenetic changes in the tooth morphology of bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas).

ABSTRACT: Teeth are an integral component of feeding ecology, with a clear link between tooth morphology and diet, as without suitable dentition prey cannot be captured nor broken down for consumption. Bull sharks, Carcharhinus leucas, undergo an ontogenetic niche shift from freshwater to marine habitats, which raises the question: does tooth morphology change with ontogeny? Tooth shape, surface area and thickness were measured using both morphometrics and elliptic Fourier analysis to determine if morphology varied with position in the jaw and if there was an ontogenetic change concordant with this niche shift. Significant ontogenetic differences in tooth morphology as a function of position in the jaw and shark total length were found, with upper and lower jaws of bull sharks presenting two differe

SUBMITTER: Goodman K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9804735 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature