acrodont

Acrodont describes a mode of tooth attachment in which the teeth are fused to the edge or margin of the jawbone, with no separate tooth socket or alveolus. In acrodont dentition, the tooth sits on the jaw margin rather than being anchored in a socket or embedded on the inner surface. This contrasts with thecodont dentition, where teeth are set in sockets within the jawbone, and pleurodont dentition, where teeth are fused to the inner (usually labial) surface of the jaw.

Cited most often in herpetology, acrodont dentition occurs in a subset of squamate reptiles. It is characteristic of certain lizard groups, most notably the chameleons (family Chamaeleonidae) and many agamid lizards (family Agamidae). The pattern serves as a key diagnostic feature in anatomical descriptions, systematic studies, and discussions of reptile evolution and taxonomy. In paleontological contexts, acrodont dentition helps identify fossil squamates and informs reconstructions of their relationships to extant lineages.

The term derives from Greek roots meaning “top” or “edge” of the jaw and “tooth,” reflecting the location of the teeth on the jaw margin. As a descriptive anatomical term, acrodont dentition relates to feeding mechanics, tooth replacement patterns, and phylogenetic relationships among reptiles, and it is used alongside other dentition types (thecodont and pleurodont) to characterize dental diversity in vertebrates.