The Amazing Teeth of the Great White Shark

[Jack Ryan]

Great white sharks are able to subdue and eat almost anything they come across, thanks to their amazing teeth. How do they do it?

Consider: The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) needs to catch and process food in order to survive. Its teeth are remarkable, being arranged in rows and rows that move forward, like a conveyor belt, so that these animals always have a full set of functioning teeth at any one time.

Furthermore, the shape of this shark's teeth changes throughout its life. Young sharks have thin teeth, the better to catch slippery fish with. As these sharks mature, their teeth change shape. Adults have triangular-shaped teeth along the top row, and thinner teeth along the bottom row. This arrangement allows the bottom row teeth to pin large prey, while the serrated triangular top row teeth are perfect for chomping down, cutting through thick hide, and removing large chunks of flesh.

What do you think? Did the great white shark's wondrous teeth evolve? Or were they created?