Evolutionary Tinkering of the Mandibular Canal Linked to Convergent Regression of Teeth in Placental Mammals

Loss or reduction of teeth has occurred independently in all major clades of mammals [1Meredith R.W. Gatesy J. Murphy W.J. Ryder O.A. Springer M.S. Molecular decay of the tooth gene Enamelin (ENAM) mirrors the loss of enamel in the fossil record of placental mammals.PLoS Genet. 2009; 5: e1000634Crossref PubMed Scopus (105) Google Scholar]. This process is associated with specialized diets, such as myrmecophagy and filter feeding [2Deméré T.A....