Dental morphology of the cannibal morph in the tiger salamander, Ambystoma tigrinum

摘要: Cannibalistic behavior is accompanied by a robust dental and skeletal polymorphism in cannibal tiger salamanders, Ambystoma tigrinum. This study describes the terms of hypertrophy, recurvature, surface detail as revealed scanning electron microscopy. Vomerine dentary teeth cannibals are longer than those non-cannibals same head size. While exhibit recurved on each dentigerous bone, straight peg-like appear occasionally. Conversely, isolated may be present non-cannibals. No consistent differences between noncannibal with respect to geography pedicel, shaft, or pedicel shaft junction were observed. Hypertrophy horizontally ankylosed vomerine associated distortion underlying vomer. suggests that alterations odontogenesis effect changes morphogenesis bones. Differential rates development (heterochrony) skull (dentigerous bones) dentition characteristic feature evolution cranial morphology salamanders.