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Ever wondered how deadly snakes evolved fangs? Research led by Flinders University and South Australian Museum showed that the answer lies in the special microscopic characteristics of their teeth
.
"Why snakes’ fangs have evolved so many times, while the fangs of other reptiles have rarely evolved? This has always been a mystery
.
Our research answers this question and shows that normal snake fangs can easily become hypodermic syringes," Fu Said Dr.
Alessandro Palch, the lead author of Lindos University
.
Of the nearly 4,000 species of snakes alive today, about 600 are considered to have "medical significance" for humans, which means that if you are bitten, you will most likely need to go to the nearest hospital for treatment
.
Fangs are modified teeth with grooves that are larger than other teeth nearby
.
They can be located behind or in front of the mouth, where they can be fixed or hinged (ie they can be folded back)
.
Researchers in Australia and overseas have used high-tech modeling, fossils and hours of microscope observation to find that the bottom of the snake’s teeth has tiny creases or wrinkles
.
These inward folds can help the teeth attach more firmly to the chin
.
"Our work also emphasizes the opportunism and efficiency of evolution," said co-author Professor Matthew Flinders
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Plicidentine and the repeated origins of snake venom fangs (2021) by Alessandro Palci, Aaron RH LeBlanc, Olga Panagiotopoulou, Silke GC Cleuren, Hyab Mehari Abraha, Mark N Hutchinson, Alistair R Evans, Michael W Caldwell and Michael SY Lee has been published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B 288: 20211391.