Wear patterns of radular teeth in Loligo vulgaris (Cephalopoda; Mollusca) are related to their structure and mechanical properties

Abstract

Radular teeth have to cope with wear, when interacting with ingesta. In some molluscan taxa, wear-coping mechanisms, related to the incorporation of high contents of iron or silica, have been previously determined. For most species, particularly for those which possess radulae without such incorporations, wear-coping mechanisms are understudied. In the present study, we documented and characterized the wear on radular teeth in the model species Loligo vulgaris (Cephalopoda). By applying a range of methods, the elementary composition and mechanical properties of the teeth were described, to gain insight into mechanisms for coping with abrasion. It was found that the tooth regions that are prone to wear are harder and stiffer. Additionally, the surfaces interacting with the ingesta possessed a thin coating with high contents of silicon, probably reducing abrasion. The here presented data may serve as an example of systematic study of radular wear, in order to understand the relationship between the structure of radular teeth and their properties.

Editorial: composite materials in biological and bioinspired systems

“…Similarly to insect mouthparts, the radular teeth of the squid Loligo vulgaris have to cope with wear as well. Mechanisms to maintain a high functionality were investigated using various methods, shedding light on the composition and mechanical properties of the teeth [ 14 ]. Here, authors revealed that tooth regions prone to wear exhibited greater hardness and stiffness, while surfaces interacting with ingesta displayed a protective coating rich in silicon, likely mitigating abrasion.…”