Gender-dependent dimorphic teeth in four species of Mesoamerican plethodontid salamanders (Urodela, Amphibia).
The tooth shapes of premaxillary and maxillary teeth of adults of four Mesoamerican salamander species (Urodela, Plethodontidae) were examined. Using scanning electron microscopy we determined whether the monocuspid teeth that are present only on the premaxillary of sexually mature males belong to the conical, unbladed, monocuspid tooth type found in urodele larvae or whether they represent morphological variations of the typical, bladed, bicuspid teeth of metamorphosed individuals. The teeth of some studied species are, in fact, unbladed and in some cases show one very reduced tip. But none of the studied teeth is per definitionem monocuspid and no tooth shows an enameloid layer between dentine shaft and enamel cap, which is always present in the teeth of early urodele larvae. The "monocuspid" teeth of adult males of Mesoamerican plethodontid salamanders have to be considered a morphological variation of the metamorphosed, bicuspid tooth type typical for metamorphosed urodeles.
Ehmcke
Jens
J
Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Pittsburgh, S362 Biomedical Science Towers, 3500 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
Wistuba
Joachim
J
Clemen
Günter
G
D000818:Animals; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014070:Tooth / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014562:Caudata / Q000033:anatomy & histology*