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Quiz about My What Big Teeth you Have
Quiz about My What Big Teeth you Have

My... What Big Teeth you Have! Quiz


More than just a pretty smile. Teeth can scare off rivals or tear apart prey. Sometimes they stand out as something special. From fearsome fangs to towering tusks, these choppers are a cut above.

A multiple-choice quiz by brachypelma. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
brachypelma
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
341,240
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
3043
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. As a venom delivery system, the movable fangs of a viper really get the job done. One species not only has the longest fangs of any venomous snake, but the highest venom yield as well. It is native to both savanna and rainforest in sub-saharan Africa. Sometimes called the forest puff adder or swampjack, by what name Bitis gabonica most commonly known? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The jaws of a great white shark rightly inspire fear. But that maw pales in comparison this prehistoric relative. In addition to teeth measuring up to 7" long, this ancient giant is thought to have had the strongest bite force of any creature yet known. Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which aquatic mammal possesses a single forward-facing tusk of up to ten feet in length, earning it the scientific name Monodon monoceros or "onetooth unicorn"? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. But is size all that matters? What about sheer numbers? Does 1,000 teeth scare you, what about 10,000? Well that's nowhere near the most. Some species of what animal can have as many as 100,000 teeth? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. If you check out the chompers of certain sea otters, you'll find they are distinctly purple in color. What is the cause of this differently tinted dentition? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. One of the nastiest sets of teeth in the world belongs to the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). Even a small bite from one of these giant lizards can be fatal. In addition to the shock and blood loss caused by the powerful jaws and sharp teeth, a cocktail of septic bacteria in the saliva can infect and overcome the victim. But recent tests have confirmed the presence of what other factor contributing to the potency of a dragon's attack? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. The largest teeth of all time are the tusks of the proboscideans (elephants, mammoths and mastodons) with those of the now extinct straight-tusked mastodon reaching lengths of over 16 feet and weighing over 300lbs. These tusks are a modified form of which type of tooth? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Some of the largest creatures on earth, whales, have lost their teeth altogether. The teeth have been replaced by filtering plates known as what? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. An elephant's tusks aren't the only things that set them apart. Their molars are the largest and heaviest in the animal kindom as well. However, they use only one set of chewing teeth (pre-molars or molars) at a time. How many times can an elephant replace its chewing teeth in its lifetime? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Despite their very impressive dentition, animals of the genus Smilodon are believed to have had a relatively weak bite. Dying out only 10,000 years ago their fearsome teeth are a noticeable feature in early cave paintings. By what name are Smilodon species commonly known? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. As a venom delivery system, the movable fangs of a viper really get the job done. One species not only has the longest fangs of any venomous snake, but the highest venom yield as well. It is native to both savanna and rainforest in sub-saharan Africa. Sometimes called the forest puff adder or swampjack, by what name Bitis gabonica most commonly known?

Answer: Gaboon Viper

There are two very well camouflaged subspecies of the Gaboon Viper, and you wouldn't want to tread accidentally on either one.
2. The jaws of a great white shark rightly inspire fear. But that maw pales in comparison this prehistoric relative. In addition to teeth measuring up to 7" long, this ancient giant is thought to have had the strongest bite force of any creature yet known.

Answer: megalodon

Estimated to have reached a length of up to 16m (52ft), megalodon would have had a body mass 200 times that of the largest great whites.
3. Which aquatic mammal possesses a single forward-facing tusk of up to ten feet in length, earning it the scientific name Monodon monoceros or "onetooth unicorn"?

Answer: narwhal

Narwhals are also noted for their deep-diving abilities. They routinely descend to depths of up to one mile below the surface.
4. But is size all that matters? What about sheer numbers? Does 1,000 teeth scare you, what about 10,000? Well that's nowhere near the most. Some species of what animal can have as many as 100,000 teeth?

Answer: snails

The radula is a structure in molluscs, a chitonous ribbon with may tiny teeth. Snails of different species use this structure to for purposes as diverse as grazing on algae to boring holes in the shells of other snails in order to prey on them.
5. If you check out the chompers of certain sea otters, you'll find they are distinctly purple in color. What is the cause of this differently tinted dentition?

Answer: A dye from purple sea urchins they eat

Even the teeth of the nursing young are stained by the dye through their mother's milk.
6. One of the nastiest sets of teeth in the world belongs to the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). Even a small bite from one of these giant lizards can be fatal. In addition to the shock and blood loss caused by the powerful jaws and sharp teeth, a cocktail of septic bacteria in the saliva can infect and overcome the victim. But recent tests have confirmed the presence of what other factor contributing to the potency of a dragon's attack?

Answer: Venom glands in the lower jaw produce toxins causing paralysis, reducing blood clotting and lowering blood pressure

Even though the bacterial load in their saliva is greatly reduced in captivity (due to antibiotics and a controlled, clean diet) the bite of these animals is still highly dangerous.
7. The largest teeth of all time are the tusks of the proboscideans (elephants, mammoths and mastodons) with those of the now extinct straight-tusked mastodon reaching lengths of over 16 feet and weighing over 300lbs. These tusks are a modified form of which type of tooth?

Answer: incisors

The tusks of the modern African elephant are the largest teeth of any living animal. Technically they are the second upper incisors.
8. Some of the largest creatures on earth, whales, have lost their teeth altogether. The teeth have been replaced by filtering plates known as what?

Answer: baleen

The whales pull in huge amounts of water containing their prey (krill, copepods, small fish). Then they press their tongue against the bottom of the baleen structures and press out the water, leaving the prey items, which are then swallowed.
9. An elephant's tusks aren't the only things that set them apart. Their molars are the largest and heaviest in the animal kindom as well. However, they use only one set of chewing teeth (pre-molars or molars) at a time. How many times can an elephant replace its chewing teeth in its lifetime?

Answer: up to six

The elephant has 3 set of premolars and 3 sets of molars, but only use one at a time. The teeth grow in at the back of the jaw and move forward, pushing the previous set out as it is worn down. If the elephant lives long enough, 60 years or so, its final set of molars will wear out, leaving it unable to eat properly.
10. Despite their very impressive dentition, animals of the genus Smilodon are believed to have had a relatively weak bite. Dying out only 10,000 years ago their fearsome teeth are a noticeable feature in early cave paintings. By what name are Smilodon species commonly known?

Answer: saber-toothed cats

The bite of a Smilodon is thought to have been only about 1/3 as powerful as that of the modern lion. They likely killed their prey more by means of strangulation than with the force of their bite.
Source: Author brachypelma

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