• Question: how many teeth do snails have?

    Asked by joyburgess to Charlotte, Jo, Kevin, Louise, Valeria on 18 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 18 Jun 2012:


      Snails do have teeth, but they are not like teeth you’d find in mammals or reptiles. Nearly all snails have what are known as radulas. Radulas are hard, ribbonlike organs that look like small tongues. Radulas contain several rows of tiny teeth.

      Some snails have just a few teeth while others have thousands (it depends on the species!). As these teeth wear away over time, they are replaced by new ones.

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