Dear Friends,
Normally, I would be blogging about some very endangered and
unusual animals. However, today I am feeling very sorry for myself. You see, I
have the worst set of teeth on the planet. You’re probably saying, ‘she
exaggerates.’ Maybe so, but I’ve really had my share of drillings, scrapings,
and pullings. Today, at the dentist, was no different. So this week am I going to discuss three CRITTERS who have unusual teeth.
While I’m writing, I’ll think about the cost of the next dentist visit.
I do hope this post makes you smile!
Critter No. 1 – The Dragonfish
I thought it would be fitting to start with this critter
because it's from Australia.
Photo
credit: Dr. Julian Finn, Museum Victoria
This banana sized fish lives in the depths of the oceans surrounding Australia.
The Australian Dragonfish eats other fish, and it has the
teeth to do it. As a matter of fact, the Australian Dragonfish has teeth on its
tongue! That just sounds terribly uncomfortable to me!
Like other deep-sea fishes, the Dragonfish has photophores. A
photophore is an organ that produces light. The photophores help to attract food and scare off preditors. Dragonfish are not dangerous to humans because they live in very deep cold waters.
Spooky looking guy, isn’t he?! He has arrived just in time for Halloween.
Critter No. 2 – The Sheepshead Fish
SOME SET OF CHOPPERS ON THIS GUY!
Sheepshead
fish are a common North American marine species. They can be found from Cape
Cod and Massachusetts through to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico all the way to Brazil. They
prefer coastal habitats, swimming around rock pilings, jetties, mangroves, and reef,
etc. They can grow up to 35 inches in length and weigh up to 20 pounds. The
Sheepshead fish is also known as the convict fish. The picture below will tell
you why.
From
what I’ve read, they are supposed to be very tasty, but I don’t think I’ll
bite!
Critter No. 3 – The Saber-Toothed Deer
Next on our list of REALLY CREEPY dental arrangements is the Saber-Toothed
Deer. YES, that's what I said, Deer. We’re talking Bambi on steroids. When I look
at this picture I wonder whether or not Mother Nature was making fun of Bambi
when she constructed this little guy.
The fangs are simply huge canine teeth, which have grown
out of control. Saber-Tooted Deer don’t have antlers, just big long teeth. The Saber-Toothed
deer is a member of the ‘musk deer’ family of ungulates. Ungulate is a fancy
word referring to an animal with a hoof.
The Saber-Toothed Deer lives in forests of Asia,
specifically China and Korea. Strangely enough, a few of them got loose from a
zoo in England and France, and now there are small populations in both countries.
He has sweet eyes, and look at those soft ears, and coat...but the fangs, Dracula would be envious. From what I have read, this deer can even retract those fangs. WOW!
The Saber-Toothed Deer weighs between 16 to 37 pounds, so it’s a bit smaller
than the deer we are familiar with here in the US. Unfortunately, these frightening freaks of nature are threatened
by poaching and illegal demand for their musk. Musk is a strong-smelling reddish-brown
substance that is secreted by the male musk deer for scent marking. It is also used in making perfume. Conservation
efforts and anti-poaching methods are essential to prevent the Saber-Toothed Deer from going the way of the saber-toothed tiger.
I hope you enjoyed this week's post. It was perfect for some
pre-Halloween fun, and as I’m finishing up, I notice that my upper jaw feels
just a bit better. However, I won’t be eating any candy this Halloween - have a milky-way on me.
One last thing. I found a short video that is a bit of fun.
Enjoy!
J.E. Rogers
