What is the primary adaptation reflected in the numerous small teeth of the zebra shark?
Answer
Crushing the hard shells of mollusks and crustaceans.
The dentition of the zebra shark is a direct morphological reflection of its specialized diet, which centers on bottom-dwelling, hard-shelled invertebrates. The shark's mouth is equipped with numerous teeth, but these are characterized as small rather than large or razor-sharp. They are not adapted for the function of tearing flesh from large animals. Instead, their structure and arrangement are specifically adapted for crushing, enabling the shark to effectively break through the robust shells and carapaces of its preferred prey items, which primarily consist of mollusks and crustaceans found along the seafloor.
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