Types dentaires adaptatifs chez les sélaciens actuels et post-paléozoïques.

Henri Cappetta

Cite this article: Cappetta H., 1986. Types dentaires adaptatifs chez les sélaciens actuels et post-paléozoïques. Palaeovertebrata 16 (2): 57-76.

Abstract

The dentition of selachians is characterized by an often very pronounced heterodonty involving a great morphological diversity. Despite this fact, the dentitions of selachians can be grouped in a rather reduced number of dental types corresponding to trophic adaptations: grasping, tearing, cutting, crushing, grinding and grasping-grinding type. The numerous exemples of convergence and parallelism that can be observed in fossil selachians and between Recent and fossil ones is the result of this reduced number of dental types. These dental specialisations allow to try a reconstruction of the way of life of fossil forms.