How are uvulas distributed across the Animal Kingdom? Do all humans have them? Do all primates...just apes? Do other mammals have them? Non-mammals?
2007-06-28 09:55:53 · 4 answers · asked by rorydiva 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
You're not the first person to ask this question (link 1)!
If you're talking about the dangly thingy in the back of your throat, then pretty much only humans have them like that. Other primates have a much smaller uvula-like thingy, and most animals have nothing of the kind (one notable exception being the New Guinea Singing Dog - link 2).
Interestingly enough, this also means that most animals do not snore appreciably, since snoring is usually caused by uvular vibration during certain sleeping positions (link 3). And while all animals with a soft throat CAN snore to some extent, only ones with flattened faces (and us) do so with our frequency and volume.
Sometimes other structures are called a 'uvula' because of their shape - there is a uvula in the brain of many animals that is referred to in neurology contexts, for example.
2007-06-28 10:26:38 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have one, but my dad does not. he had his removed because he snored too much and my mom didn't like it. haha.
2007-06-28 23:04:16 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
your mom
2007-06-28 17:12:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
your grandma(no offense)
2007-06-28 17:17:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋