Heterodont

For the subclass of bivalve molluscs, see Heterodonta.

In anatomy, a heterodont (from Greek, meaning 'different teeth') is an animal which possesses more than a single tooth morphology. For example, members of the Synapsida generally possess incisors, canines ('eyeteeth'), premolars, and molars. The presence of heterodont dentition is evidence of some degree of feeding/hunting specialization in a species. In contrast, homodont dentition refers to a set of teeth that possess the same tooth morphology.

See also

• Diphodonty