DENTICION Y REMPLAZO DENTAL EN ALGUNOS TIBURONES CARCHARHINIDOS DEL PACIFICO COLOMBIANO

Dried jaws of four Ca.charhinid shark species (Galeocerdo cuvieri, Carchai hinus albimarginatus, C. galapaguensis and C. porosus) from the eastern tropics Pacific were examined. Tooth replacement rates were determined in both, upper ani lower jaws of each species. In general, replacement rates were greater in lower jaw than in upper ones, and this difference was greater in those species in which th morphologic differentiation between upper and lower teeth is more noticeable In addition, those jaws in which teeth tend to be wider than longer have lowe replacement rates than those in which teeth tend to be longer than wider. This i possibly due to larger tension capacity of wide teeth and higher susceptibility t rupture of long teeth. The great morphological differentiation between upper an lower teeth of some sharks, suggests a higher level of specialization in the feedin habits of those sharks.