According to available information, a garden snail has approximately 14,000 teeth.
Snails, unlike humans with a few dozen teeth, possess a unique structure called a radula, which is like a ribbon covered in thousands of microscopic, tooth-like denticles. These are used for scraping food surfaces.
Snail Teeth Facts
Based on the provided reference, here are some key facts about snail teeth:
- A garden snail is reported to have about 14,000 teeth.
- Some other snail species can have even more, potentially exceeding 20,000 teeth.
- The teeth of an aquatic snail known as the limpet are remarkably strong.
- Limpet teeth are considered the strongest known biological material on Earth, surpassing the strength of even titanium.
While the term "teeth" is used, these structures are different from the teeth found in mammals. They are part of the radula, a rasping organ essential for the snail's feeding process.