The Right-Handed Warthog opus 280
| 20 January 2024 1540 Hours | | Anatomy, Environment, Mammalogy, Zoology |
As I was perusing my recently acquired African Warthog skull--
Sustainably harvested from South Africa,
An old male with fairly worn tusks--
I noticed something noteworthy with both upper and lower tusks:
The normally long, sharp right tusks were both rounded,
Shorter, and somewhat dulled.
There was a clear differentiation between left and right.
I thought for a moment and realized that pigs root,
Especially with large tusks.
The animal had literally worn down the enlarged right teeth,
Rooting and searching for food over years of a lifetime!
Dentition of mammals is a utilized taxonomic character
And they evolved to function in each group,
Enhancing their specialities.
Consider our teeth, an omnivorous species,
Are very similar to--wait--those of bears and pigs!
Have fun thinking!