Portal:Primates/Selected article/20

A toothcomb (tooth comb, dental comb) is a dental structure most commonly known in lemurs and lorisoids), although similar dental structures can be found in other mammals, such as colugos, treeshrews, and some African antelope. Toothcombs vary in dental composition and structure. The toothcomb of lemuriform primates include incisors and canine teeth that tilt forward at the front of the lower jaw, followed by a canine-shaped first premolar. The toothcombs in other animals usually include incisors only. The comb is formed by fine spaces between the teeth. The toothcomb is kept clean by either the tongue or, in the case of lemuriforms, the sublingua, or specialized "under-tongue".

The toothcomb is usually used for grooming. While licking the fur clean, the animal will run the tooth through the fur to comb it. The toothcomb can have other functions, such as food procurement and bark gouging. Within lemuriforms, fork-marked lemurs and indriids have more robust toothcombs to support these secondary functions. In some lemurs, such as the aye-aye, the toothcomb has been lost completely and replaced with another specialized dentition. In lemuriform primates, the toothcomb has factored heavily in the interpretation of the evolution of lemurs and their kin.