When you consider animals that have a lot of teeth, sharks are likely to be the first ones that come to mind, since they can grow and shed thousands of teeth in their lifetime. However, as shocking as it may sound, the animal that holds the world record for the most teeth in a lifetime is not a ferocious predator. The world record for the most teeth in a lifetime belongs to a gentle, slimy creature known as the umbrella slug, which has more teeth in its lifetime than any other animal. According to the Guinness World Records, this peculiar creature produces an astonishing number of teeth as it grows and replaces them in its lifetime. In fact, the total number of teeth it produces, through generations of replacement, is more than that of any other animal on Earth.
Umbrella slug produces more teeth than any other in the world
The umbrella slug is a species of sea slug that lives in oceanic waters, and one of its most fascinating characteristics is its radula, which is a tongue-like structure covered in rows of tiny teeth. While humans and most other animals have a set of teeth that remain with them for their entire lives, the umbrella slug grows and replaces teeth constantly. It can produce as many as tens of thousands of teeth, which is more than any vertebrate animal.These teeth are not like the ones you think of as biting teeth; instead, they are microscopic and come in hundreds of rows on the radula, which allows the umbrella slug to graze on algae and small particles for food. While the teeth are small, the number of teeth that the umbrella slug produces in its lifetime is what gives it the world record.
How the slug’s teeth work
In contrast to mammals, which rely on teeth for biting and chewing, the umbrella slug’s teeth are more like a conveyor belt for rasping. Here’s how it works:
- The radula is lined with tiny teeth in rows.
- As the teeth wear out, new ones grow in the back and move forward like a conveyor belt.
- Because of this process, the slug can continue to eat efficiently throughout its lifetime.
This is similar to how many snails and slugs eat, but the umbrella slug’s tooth replacement rate is unbeatable. Eventually, the total number of teeth that the umbrella slug produces is more than that of any other animal, even sharks, which are well-known for replacing their teeth many times.
How does this record compare to other animals
To give you some perspective on this record:
- White sharks can replace thousands of teeth in their lifetime by growing new teeth to replace old ones.
- Elephants have six sets of molars that are replaced only a few times in their lifetime.
- Humans have two sets of teeth in a lifetime – baby teeth and permanent teeth.
The umbrella slug produces teeth at such an incredible rate that it blows all of the above away just because of the sheer volume of teeth it is producing. This is why it has the Guinness World Record for the most teeth produced in a lifetime.
Why it matters
The record-breaking number of teeth of the umbrella slug may appear to be an interesting piece of trivia about an animal, but it also points to the vastly different ways in which life has developed on different species. Researching animals that have continuously regenerating teeth can help scientists learn more about survival, feeding patterns, and the processes of renewal in nature. The way in which the slug’s radula is structured makes it clear that some animals have developed the ability to renew and replace continuously, which is a far cry from the way in which human teeth function. It is important to remember that the most interesting things in the natural world are not always the most apparent.
