teeth
Posted by Benjamin King on September 26, 2005
Q: how come turtle's don't have teeth?
Habitat: pond/lake
State: Virginia
Habitat: pond/lake
A: Science usually stays clear of trying to answer "why" questions. Science often answers other kinds of questions though. Every animal and plant is the way it is(whether toothed or not) because "it works" for them or they wouldn't still survive as a species. Although teeth are a great adaptation found in many animals, other animals (birds, insects, turtles, snails) have found different ways to accomplish the same result. So...turtles have evolved a rather sharp edge to their jaws that allows them to bite through food and this works just fine for them. Of course, turtles don't chew their food but swallow chunks whole.
Hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
John Wiessinger ( September 27, 2005)