Ojuice5001

Just wondering something. We all know that natural selection has given birds a wide variety of beak shapes, depending on the kind of food they eat. So why are most mammals' mouths shaped the same? Almost all mammals have a wide mouth that curves upwards a bit and opens to about sixty degrees. The only exceptions I can think of are primates, whales, and anteaters. Why aren't mammals' mouths shaped differently?

pz

The variation in mammals that is equivalent to the variation in birds' beaks is found in their teeth. We mammals have remarkably diverse teeth, as any comparative zoologist will tell you. In fact, for most mammals, all you need is a few teeth in order to classify them to at least the genus or family level.

I don't understand your claim that there is little variation in the mouths of mammals, though. Compare a cow and a wolf. Ever seen a naked mole rat? The bones of a saber-tooth tiger?

MortalWombat

I guess because they do the job well enough.

The Lone Ranger

Ojuice5001:

In addition to pz's point regarding the fact that there's actually quite a lot of variation in mammals' mouths, and in their teeth in particular, I'd like to point out that birds don't have forelimbs with which they can manipulate their food.

Lacking manipulative forelimbs, birds must have bills with which they can adroitly manipulate their food.

Cheers,

Michael

[ November 27, 2002: Message edited by: The Lone Ranger ]</p>

parkdalian

Consider the variation in the more analogous mammalian nose. Better yet, consider the variation within our own species.

Doubting Didymus

Why is our nose 'more' analogous to a beak than our teeth and jaws??

tronvillain

Why, because they're both sort of triangular of course! *chuckle*