How to pierce that shell? (Credit : Jason Hollinger, flickr.com)
Researchers have used rapid prototyping (3D printing) to discover the ideal tooth shape for piercing the tough shells of two intertidal snail species. While the best teeth were flat or convex with a tall skinny cusp, animals that eat the snails in fact exhibit a variety of tooth shapes, suggesting that there is a trade-off between tooth function and structural integrity.
Original research article published in Journal of the Royal Society Interface on January 15, 2014.
Name and affiliations of selected authors
Stephanie Crofts, University of Washington
