Teeth crush shells: walrus

The cheek teeth of walruses are capable of crushing tough shells because they are strong and flat.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

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Biomimetic Application Ideas

Small-scale processing equipment for rock or gravel, demolition techniques that do not require explosives, techniques for crushing waste to speed up decomposition.

[Collapse all sections] Summary

"The walrus has only 18 teeth in its mouth, but the upper canines form great ivory tusks up to a metre long. It uses them for levering itself on to ice floes, as weapons in battles with other males over females, and as digging tools to extract clams and other invertebrates from the sea bed. A walrus may dive to depths of 200 metres and more in search of food, and is thought to use its tusks to plough up the sediments on the sea bottom to expose shells, which are recognized in these murky depths by the stiff sensory bristles on its snout. Behind the tusks are strong flat teeth capable of crushing the hardest shells." (Foy and Oxford Scientific Films 1982:147)

About the inspiring organism

Walrus
Odobenus rosmarus (Linnaeus, 1758)
[Walrus]

IUCN Red List Status: Unknown
Habitat(s): Marine Intertidal, Marine Neritic, Marine Oceanic

Some organism data provided by: ITIS: The Integrated Taxonomic Information System
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Small-scale processing equipment for rock or gravel, demolition techniques that do not require explosives, techniques for crushing waste to speed up decomposition.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Construction, processing rock, demolition, waste management

References

Foy, Sally; Oxford Scientific Films. 1982. The Grand Design: Form and Colour in Animals. Lingfield, Surrey, U.K.: BLA Publishing Limited for J.M.Dent & Sons Ltd, Aldine House, London. 238 p.

Teeth crush shells: walrus

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