How many rows of teeth do mako sharks have?

Question

If you can also tell me how many teeth in general mako sharks typically have, that would be great. I know how much I have but I don't know if its typical or if I'm a little out of the ordinary.

Answer 1

That's a bit of a tricky question. First of all, not all of the row of teeth in sharks are functional. Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays) have polyphodont dentition, where used teeth break off and are constantly replaced by new teeth. For the most part, it is only the first one or perhaps two rows that are functional. Teeth are lyodont, that is, they are not anchored in the cartilage of the jaw (palatoquadrate on the upper, Meckel's cartilage on the lower jaw), but rather in the connective tissue covering the jaw cartilage. As teeth mature, they are continuously being pulled forward and the anchoring tissue migrates forward as well.

Now, in the shortfin mako (*Isurus oxyrinchus*) the number of rows of teeth is somewhat variable. Some rows are actually covered by tissue and are not visible as they are not yet fully matured. In the lower jaw the rows around the symphysis (where the left and right Meckel's cartilages fuse in the center of the lower jaw) you can find about 5 to 7 rows, whereas more laterally the number of rows is only two or three. I have no idea whether that is also the case in the shortfin mako (*Isurus paucus*), but I would suspect it is not that much different. To be sure though, I am refering to the living animal and what is visible. if you have a jaw in your hand, you'd see all the rows, including those of immature teeth that would normally be covered by connective tissue.

Just a little tid bit of information you might find interesting: Mako embryos, like embryos of all lamnoid sharks, are oophagous, that is during large parts of the pregnancy they eat eggs the mother ovulates into the uterus. At one point, their stomachs are full of yolk and extended significantly. To achieve this, embryos are provided with functional erect teeth. In a sister species of the mako, the salmon shark (*Lamna ditropis*) we found an interesting pattern of functional teeth at mid-term. Embryos had one long and erect fang on either side of the lower jaw. I called them eulabetic teeth (from Lat. holding), assuming that they aid the embryo in holding the egg capsules during the oophagous phase of their embryonic development. Never got around to publish it though, so call them what you like... At any rate, the same dentition has since been observed in *Lamna nasus* and also *I. oxyrinchus*. Also, in a recent study researchers found teeth in the stomach of embryo makos, suggesting that possibly teeth are already shed during the embryonic development.

Hope this answers your question. May I ask whether you study sharks?

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How many rows of teeth do mako sharks have?
If you can also tell me how many teeth in general mako sharks typically have, that would be great. I know how much I have but I don't know if its typical or if I'm a little out of the ordinary.

Answer 3

I know generally sharks have 5 to 15 rows of teeth with no roots, the teeth last about a week then fall out with another to replace it right away. http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215242/sharks.htm

Answer 4

sharks of all kinds continue to replace teeth in rows that push forward to constantly replace those lost when attacking food. i dont know how many rows but there are plenty, and if you had sense enough to put your question into a web search instead of here you would already know.

Answer 5

Shark is more versatile than many cooks realize. Typically, it is prepared in steak form by grilling, broiling, or pan-sauteing (frying). For each of these techniques, you may leave the skin on, for it will lift off in one piece once it is cooked. If the center piece of bone-like cartilage is left in, it will also lift out easily after cooking. Marinating the shark in an Italian-type dressing for 15-30 minutes is a quick and easy step to a moist, tender, and flavorful meal.

Yet shark meat can also be skinned and cut into chunks and stir-fried, or you may poach the meat and use it in a salad. The flesh will lighten during cooking. As soon as the meat turns opaque throughout its thickness, it is done; cooking it until it flakes easily with a fork is overcooking. The thickness of your steaks is a matter of personal preference. I prefer a one-inch steak, while my counterpart in New York prefers a half-inch steak.