adontous

Adontous is a term used in biology and paleontology to describe the absence of teeth. This condition can occur in various species, both living and extinct. In extant animals, adonty is often associated with specialized diets. For example, baleen whales, such as the blue whale and humpback whale, lack teeth and instead possess baleen plates in their mouths, which they use to filter small organisms from the water. Similarly, some turtles and birds have beaks instead of teeth, which they use for feeding and other functions.

In the fossil record, the term adontous is applied to extinct organisms that show no evidence of teeth. This can be determined through the examination of fossilized remains. The reasons for adonty in extinct species are varied and can be linked to evolutionary adaptations, dietary shifts, or changes in feeding mechanisms. Studying adontous species provides insights into the diversity of feeding strategies that have evolved throughout Earth's history and the evolutionary pressures that may have led to the loss or modification of teeth. The absence of teeth in a fossilized specimen is a significant characteristic that helps paleontologists classify and understand the biology of ancient life forms.