The fang is a unique feature in the animal kingdom as they are present in different kinds of animals such as spiders, fish, snakes, and more.
A fang is a modified tooth that plays many functions such as injecting venom, tearing flesh, holding the prey firmly and so on.
In this Article, We shall look for Animals with Fangs and the roles they play in them along with their pictures.
Table of Contents
Animals With Fangs :
Hippopotamus
A hippopotamus is the third-largest land animal that belongs to Genus Hippopotamus, Family Hippopotamidae and is found in the northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Gambia, and South Africa.
Of course, A hippopotamus has a very large mouth with large teeth that are considered as tusks. However, Some people also consider its long teeth about 16 inch in length as fangs that are located in their lower jaw.
Its long fangs along with other long teeth or tusks are involved in fighting aggressively, especially during territorial violence, protecting their baby hippos, and also against possible threats and predators.
Baboon(monkey)
A baboon, including hamadryas baboon, Guinea baboon, olive baboon, yellow baboon, and others, is a species of monkey in the Old World monkeys that belongs to Genus Papio, Family Cercopithecidae and is found in Africa, Arabia and other places.
Some consider the long teeth present in both upper and lower jaws of baboons as fangs because they look so. According to their omnivorous diet, these fangs help them to hunt or prey on small animals such as birds, rodents, young sheep and antelopes.
Apart from hunting, Its long fangs are also involved in showing dominance, a large baboon with long fangs is more dominant, attracting female mates, and also will be treated as leader among their troop.
King Cobra(snake)
A king cobra is a species of snake and is the longest venomous snake in the world that belongs to Genus Ophiophagus, Family Elapidae and is found in northern India, southern China, Hong Kong, Malay Peninsula, western Indonesia and the Philippines.
They have two long fangs that could grow as much as 0.5 inches or 8-10 mm in length. Its deadly fangs are hollow types located on their upper jaw that are primarily meant for injecting its toxic venom into their prey as the venom immobilizes them to devour the whole.
As the snakes could not handle and hold the strong prey for longer duration they adapted to kill or slow them by injecting its toxic venom into their circulatory system.
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (snake)
A eastern diamondback rattlesnake is a species of venomous snake and is the largest rattlesnake species that belongs to Genus Crotalus, Family Viperidae and is found in southeastern United States, North Carolina, Florida, Southern Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Of course, Like other venomous snakes with fangs this eastern diamondback rattlesnake also possesses fangs. Its fangs are long about an inch (25 mm) in length that could inject its venom into prey such as small mammals, birds, rats, mice, rabbits and squirrels.
Surprisingly, Its two long fangs are long, curved with hollows that are connected to venom glands and are able to fold inward and parallel to its mouth roof.
Gaboon Viper (snake)
A Gaboon viper is a species of viper snakes that belongs to Genus Bitis, Family Viperidae and is found in central Africa, western Africa.
After the king cobra snakes, It’s the second snake that could yield the maximum quantity of venom. It has the longest fangs among the venomous snakes, that could reach up to 2 inches (5 cm) in length and its venomous bites can be fatal to their prey.
It is the beautiful snake with the longest fangs and can yield relatively more venom.
Black mamba (snake)
A black mamba is the second longest snake after the king cobra that belongs to Genus Dendroaspis, Family Elapidae and is found in southern Africa, East African savannas, and other places.
It has fangs that are long, hollow and sharp. Interestingly, When they are born they have about 1-2 drops of venom in each of their long fangs, while the adults have about 10 drops of venom in a fang.
Its venom is so deadly that it could kill animals that are as much as big as an elephant, lion, and tigers.
Red Spitting Cobra (snake)
A red spitting cobra is one of the species of spitting cobra that belongs to Genus Naja, Family Elapidae and is found in East Africa, Somalia, Egypt, Eastern Ethiopia, Tanzania and Sudan.
They are famous for spitting venom through the holes of fangs, while venom could reach at a distance of 6.5 feet (2 m). This behavior of spitting venom is an adaptation, a form defense.
It has long fangs about 5 mm in length, apart from spitting venom it can able to inject the venom through a bite.
Vampire Bat (Bat)
A Vampire bat, is a blood sucking bat that belongs to Family Phyllostomidae, Order Chiroptera and is found in Mexico, Central America, South America and other places as well.
These bats are blood suckers and for blood they prey upon birds, horses, cows and pigs. It has sharp teeth, some people considered as fangs, a special tongue along with its anticoagulant saliva can help them to suck blood and are known to depend entirely on blood diet.
While they are feasting on blood prey can’t detect or notice them and even may not feel pain due the presence of anticoagulant saliva that prevents pain and clotting of blood.
Payara(Vampire fish)
A payara, also known as vampire fish, is a carnivorous fish that belongs to Genus Hydrolycus, Family Cynodontidae and is found in Amazon Basin, South America, and other places.
They have large fang-like teeth in their lower jaws through which they can prey on other fishes that are comparable to their own sizes. They are also more dangerous and vicious predators than the Piranhas and are able to catch their prey using their long fangs.
Due to their long fangs, they are called by many names such as Vampire fish, Wolf fish, Dracula fish, Saber-toothed tiger fish.
Gray wolf (wolf)
A wolf, also known as the gray wolf, is a large-sized species of wolf that belongs to Genus Canis, Family Canidae and is found in Alaska, Michigan, western Montana, northern Idaho, northeast Oregon, and Wyoming.
They have 42 teeth, among these, two out of four canines are sharp, curved, and long about 1-2.5 inches in length that some consider as fangs. These canine teeth or fangs can penetrate into the flesh of the prey and can provide enough grip to hold firmly without letting them escape from them.
Its long fangs are able to pierce through the soft bones, and cartilages, especially those located at the throat of their prey.
Goliath Birdeater Spider (Tarantula Spider)
A Goliath birdeater is a species of tarantula and is the largest spider by mass that belongs to Genus Theraphosa, Family Theraphosidae and is found in northern South America, Venezuela, Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname.
Like many tarantula species, These, Goliath birdeater, also have relatively long fangs about 2-4 cm (2 inches) as compared to others. These have venomous glands attached to fangs and also capable of injecting them into their prey, even can penetrate into human skin if threatened.
Its venom is relatively harmless for large animals and its effects are comparable to the stings of a wasp.
Siberian Musk Deer
A siberian musk deer is a species of musk deer that belongs to Genus Moschus, Family Moschidae and is found in Siberia, taiga , Himalayas, Northeast Asia, Mongolia and other places.
These deer lack deer but have amazing long canine teeth that are considered as fangs that are used to fight against and between males while competing for gaining female mates, used for territory marking and maintaining their territory, and are the signs of dominance.
Irrespective of their herbivorous diet they possess two long canine teeth referred as fangs-It’s really interesting adaptation.
Clouded Leopard
A clouded leopard is a wild cat that belongs to Genus Neofelis, Family Felidae and is found in Nepal, Bangladesh, Assam, Sumatra, Borneo, southern China and Taiwan.
Among the cat species, The clouded leopard has the longest canine teeth in relation to their body size. Its canine teeth, referred to as fangs, are about 2 inches (4 cm) long and are easily able to pierce through the flesh of their prey such as gibbons, macaques, slow loris, small deer and wild boars.
Its longer fangs along with powerful jaws aid in holding prey firmly.
Gorilla
A Gorilla, including the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas, is a great ape that belongs to Genus Gorilla, Family Hominidae and is found in Africa and zoos of many countries.
Interestingly, The male gorilla has a canine that is twice in length as compared to its female gorillas. Its long canine about 2 inches in length is referred to as fangs as they look so. The fangs play significant roles in males, as the male with long fangs are the dominant and are more accessible to female mates.
When two silverback gorillas of different groups meet they will fight to the death due to the injuries done by opponents with their long fangs.
Vampire deer
A water deer, also known as Chinese water deer, Korean water deer, is a a small-sized deer that belongs to Genus Hydropotes, Family Cervidae and is found in China and Korea
These “fanged” or “vampire” deer have long, sharp canine teeth originating from the upper jaw that are referred to as fangs.
Its fangs play important roles in males as they are usually more expressed during their reproductive season and are used to competing against the other males for gaining female mates, and used for maintaining territory.
Inland Taipan(western taipan) (snake)
A inland taipan, also commonly known as the western taipan, is venomous snake that belongs to Genus Oxyuranus, Family Elapidae and is found in Queensland, South Australia, and other places.
They have long two fangs that range between 3.5-6.2 mm in length and are connected to venom glands that could produce toxic venom strong enough to kill 100 adult humans or 25,000 mice.
A bite of inland taipan can kill a person within about 45 minutes as its fangs easily pierce through the flesh of a person to inject deadly venom into the body.
Read More: Animal With Big Nose!
