Question

Teeth in frog are
A) Acrodont
B) Homodont
C) Polyphyodont
D) All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: The frog’s teeth are different from that of the human beings not only in their appearance and location but also how many times they are replaced by newer ones.

Complete Answer:
A) Acrodont dentition is found in fishes, amphibians and some reptiles. In this case the teeth are attached to the edge or surface of the jawbone by fibrous membrane. They do not have roots.

B) Homodont or isodont type of teeth is commonly found in vertebrates such as fishes, amphibians and reptiles. In this type of dentition all the teeth are similar in their shape, size and function.

C) In most of the lower vertebrates jaws are never left without teeth because their teeth are replaced from time to time throughout life, and such types of teeth are called polyphyodont teeth. Dogfish and snakes have polyphyodont teeth.
- Frogs are carnivorous animals. They are armed with tiny fang -like teeth that are generally conical in shape with pointed tips. They do not use their teeth for mastication because they swallow their prey in single pieces. Their teeth indeed serve a crucial function of grabbing the prey. Frogs operate their teeth and tongue as a team to catch the prey by preventing its escape.
- In frogs, the teeth are located only on their upper jaws on the roofs of their mouths. These teeth are concealed by means of a mucous membrane. This suggests that the teeth are of acrodont type.
- Frogs have two types of teeth – maxillary teeth and vomerine teeth. All the maxillary teeth and the vomerine teeth are very similar in size and shape and both are used for gripping the prey. So, their teeth are of homodont type.
- Frogs switch out their teeth regularly. As long as frogs are alive they lose their old teeth and replace them with new ones. This shows that frogs have polyphyodont teeth.

This shows that the frogs teeth are acrodont, homodont and polyphyodont type. Thus, the correct answer is D.

Note: A South American marsupial tree frog Gastrotheca guentheri, has teeth on its upper as well as lower jaws.