Tusk
Tusk
Tusk (/tʌsk/), from the Old Norse túskr, is a long, large tooth that extends beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. Tusks are used by animals for various purposes such as digging, lifting objects, gathering food, and defense.
Etymology
The word "tusk" is derived from the Old Norse túskr. It entered the English language around the 12th century.
Anatomy
Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth, usually but not always in pairs, found in the mammal order Proboscidea. The tusk is composed of dentin, a hard, dense, bony tissue, and is covered by a layer of enamel, the hardest tissue in the body.
Species with Tusks
Several species of mammals have tusks, including:
- Elephants: Elephants are known for their large, curved tusks. Both male and female African elephants have tusks, while only some male Asian elephants have tusks.
- Walruses: Walruses have long, straight tusks. Both male and female walruses have tusks.
- Narwhals: Male narwhals have a single long, spiraled tusk, which is actually an elongated canine tooth.
- Warthogs: Warthogs have two pairs of tusks, which they use for digging, fighting with other hogs, and defending themselves against predators.
Related Terms
- Ivory: Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks and teeth of animals, that can be used in art or manufacturing.
- Canine tooth: The canine teeth are the long, pointed teeth on either side of the mouth. In some animals, these teeth can grow into tusks.
- Proboscidea: Proboscidea is an order of mammals that includes elephants and their extinct relatives.
- Dentin: Dentin is the main, solid part of a tooth, covered by enamel in the crown and a protective layer of cementum in the root.
- Enamel: Enamel is the hardest and most highly mineralized substance of the body. It covers the dentin and forms the outermost layer of the crown of a tooth.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Tusk
- Wikipedia's article - Tusk
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