MAMMALIAN TEETH WORKSHEET Name __________________________________

Station 1, Model of Human Molar:

Purpose: Learn to recognize the structural features of a mammalian tooth

Task: Identify the following features; each team member must be able to name all 6 tooth
features correctly without consulting their notes

Crown
Root
Enamel
Cementum
Dentin
Pulp cavity

Time to complete task (in minutes): __________

Station 2, Coyote Skull:

Purpose: Learn to recognize basic tooth types, including carnassials (unique to Carnivorans)

Task: Identify the following features; each team member must be able to name all 5 basic tooth
types correctly without consulting their notes

Incisors
Canines
Premolars
Molars
Carnassials

Time to complete task (in minutes): __________

Station 3, Goat and Chimpanzee Skulls:

Purpose: Distinguish brachyodont (low-crowned) from hypsodont (high-crowned) molars

Task: Fill in the identity of the mammal with

Brachyodont molars ____________________

Hypsodont molars ____________________

Station 4, Virgina Opossum Skull:

Purpose: Learn to recognize tribosphenic molars and their cusps

Task: Identify the following cusps and portions of tribosphenic molars; each team member must
be able to name the following 7 features, including all 3 cusps of upper tribosphenic molars, all 3
cusps of the trigonid portion of lower tribosphenic molars, and the talonid portion of lower
tribosphenic molars, without consulting their notes

On the upper molars, the three cusps forming the trigon:

Protocone (on the tongue side, i.e., lingual)
Paracone (on the lip side, i.e., labial, and anterior)
Metacone (labial and posterior)

On the lower molars, the three cusps forming the trigonid:

Protoconid (labial)
Paraconid (lingual and anterior)
Metaconid (lingual and posterior)

On the lower molars, the posterior shelf, or talonid

Time to complete task (in minutes): __________

Station 5, Shrew and Solenodon Skulls

Purpose: Distinguish Zalambdodont (V-shaped ridge, or ectoloph) from Dilambdodont (W-

shaped ectoloph) molars

Task: Fill in the identity of the mammal with

Zalambdodont teeth ____________________

Dilambdodont teeth ____________________

Station 6, Raccoon Skull

Purpose: Learn to recognize quadritubercular molars and their cusps

Task: Identify the following cusps; each team member must be able to name all 4 cusps without
consulting their notes

Protocone (lingual and anterior)

Hypocone (lingual and posterior)
Paracone (labial and anterior)
Metacone (labial and posterior)

Time to complete task (in minutes): __________

Station 7, Assorted Numbered Mammal Skulls

Purpose: Learn to associate tooth morphology with diet

Task: Fill in the diet you would expect of each of the following mammals based on their tooth
morphology; choose from the following list (you should use each selection only once)

Herbivore, gnawer
Herbivore, grazer
Insectivore
Ant-eater
Piscivore
Carnivore
Omnivore

Mammal 1, note blade-like cheekteeth ____________________

Mammal 2, note simple, homodont teeth ____________________

Mammal 3, note sharp (dilambdodont) ridges on molars ____________________

Mammal 4, note lack of teeth (edentate) ____________________

Mammal 5, note blunt cusps on molars ____________________

Mammal 6, note chisel-like incisors, diastema, hypsodont molars ____________________

Mammal 7, note lack of or rudimentary canines, hypsodont molars ____________________

Station 8, Pronghorn Skull and Elephant Molar

Purpose: Distinguish Selenodont (ridges running anterior to posterior) from Lophodont (lateral
ridges) cheekteeth

Task: Fill in the identity of the mammal with

Selenodont cheekteeth ____________________

Lophodont cheekteeth ____________________

Station 9, Assorted Maine Mammal Skulls

Purpose: Identify dental features useful for distinguishing among mammal species

Task: Complete Exercise 1, as described in Chapter 2 of your “Mammalogy Techniques Manual,”

p. 23, using the following chart; note that you may use a field guide to the mammals of North
America to determine dental formulas, but you should confirm them yourself before entering
them in the chart
Station 10, Using Chart from Station 9

Purpose: Use dental characteristics in the construction of a dichotomous key

Task: Complete Exercise 2, as described in Chapter 2 of your “Mammalogy Techniques Manual,”

p. 24, using the following chart