MORPHOLOGY AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE TEETH IN A SPECIES WITH SEXUAL HETERODONTY: RAJA (DIPTURUS) CHILENSIS GUICHENOT, 1848

Abstract

The scarce Information about the teeth in species of Raja (Dipturus) requires the analysis oí the morphology, vascularization, and arrangement of the teeth of Raja (Dipturus) chilensis. The analysis of the dental pieces morphology of the first functional row, as well as, the measurement ofwidth and height of the teeth in some specimens of Raja (Dipturus) chilensis made evident a sexual heterodonty, the females have wide teeth with low crowns. In contrast, the males have high and sharp-pointed crowns. Using the theoreme of cosine the angles of inclination of the teeth were obtained. The males shovved more steeped slopes than the observed in the females. Males and females shovved holoaulacorhizid type roots. The dental pieces of both javvs and sexes are arranged in parallel and longitudinal series, hovvever, the rovvs of teeth in the males proved to be more distant among themselves than those of the females. In relation to the number of teeth, the females slightly exceeds the males in both javvs.