Egg tooth
Egg tooth
Egg tooth (/ɛɡ tuːθ/) is a small, sharp, cranial protuberance used by many animals, such as reptiles and birds, to break or tear through the surfaces of their eggs during hatching.
Etymology
The term "egg tooth" is derived from the Latin words "ovum" meaning egg, and "dens" meaning tooth. It was first used in the early 19th century to describe the hatching mechanism in reptiles and birds.
Description
The egg tooth is a temporary, specialized structure that is typically lost or absorbed by the animal shortly after it emerges from the egg. It is not a true tooth, but rather a hard, pointed structure that is often located on the upper jaw or snout of the animal. The egg tooth is used to pierce the egg's shell or leathery casing, allowing the hatchling to escape.
In different species
In reptiles, the egg tooth is a sharp spike on the tip of the snout. In birds, it is a small, pointed protuberance on the beak. Some species of fish and amphibians also have structures that serve a similar purpose, although they are not typically referred to as an egg tooth.
Related terms
- Hatching: The process by which an animal emerges from an egg.
- Embryo: An early stage of development in multicellular organisms.
- Oviparous: Referring to animals that lay eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Egg tooth
- Wikipedia's article - Egg tooth
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