Narwhal Tusks - New Function Discovered

Jas

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I was listening to this on the radio yesterday:

First, however, they decided to give the uncleaned tusk a cursory microscopic examination.

It was a shock. There, contrary to all known precepts of tooth anatomy, they found open tubules leading down through the mazelike coating to the tooth's inner nerves and pulp.

"That surprised us," recalled Frederick C. Eichmiller, director of the Paffenbarger Research Center. "Tubules in healthy teeth never go to the surface."

Extrapolating from a count of open tubules over one part of the tooth's surface, the team estimated that the average narwhal tusk had millions of openings that led down to inner nerves.

"No one knew that they were connecting to the outside environment," Dr. Nweeia said. "To find that was extraordinary."
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http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/13/science/13narw.html?incamp=article_popular

So apparently, the narwhal's tusk can be used to detect variations in pressure, temperature, salinity, etc.

Further proof that whales and dolphins truly are our marine spirit guides.
 
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SWAG – Narwhales tusks are only on the male, I think – then it’s likly a sexual function, i.e. detecting female scent, or male strength some how, in courtship or rutting behaviour one would think.
 
chance said:
SWAG – Narwhales tusks are only on the male, I think – then it’s likly a sexual function, i.e. detecting female scent, or male strength some how, in courtship or rutting behaviour one would think.
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Not always, some females have tusks.

http://www.canadianivory.com/#narwhal
Tusks usually occur on males only – rarely on females.
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http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/12/1213_051213_narwhal_tooth_2.html
Adding to the tusk's uniqueness is its odd gender distribution. The teeth are common in males but not females. Female tusks, when they do appear, tend to be shorter and cleaner with more tightly wound spiral patterns.
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I wouldn't be surprised though, if one of the functions would also be sensing pheromones.

Do whales go into heat?
 
It's entirely possible for the tusks to have multiple functions.

Cool find! Whales amazing. I hope we have a chance to learn more about them.
 
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