what mammal order has the following dental formula: 006/406?
To determine which mammal order has the dental formula 006/406, we need to understand how dental formulas are written and then compare it to known dental formulas of different mammal orders.
Dental formulas are written in a specific pattern that represents the number and types of teeth in each half of an animal's upper and lower jaw. The numbers are usually given for one half of the jaw, so they need to be doubled to represent both sides. The numbers in the dental formula represent the different types of teeth, including incisors, canines, premolars, and molars.
In the given dental formula 006/406, we can break it down as follows:
006: This represents the upper half of the jaw. The formula has three pairs (doubled) of teeth: incisors (0), canines (0), and premolars (6). This suggests that there are no incisors or canines in the upper jaw, while there are six premolars.
406: This represents the lower half of the jaw. The formula consists of three pairs (doubled) of teeth: incisors (4), canines (0), and premolars (6). This indicates that there are four incisors, no canines, and six premolars in the lower jaw.
By comparing this dental formula to known dental formulas of different mammal orders, we find that the dental formula 006/406 belongs to the order Rodentia, which includes animals like rats, mice, squirrels, and beavers. Rodents typically have a reduced number of incisors and canines in their dental formula compared to other mammals.