This fish didn't swallow a pair of dentures. Sheepshead fish (Archosargus probatocephalus) have chompers that look eerily like those of humans. Their teeth are made of bony dentin and covered in a protective enamel-like coating, similar to that of human teeth.
Sheepshead fish teeth are shaped like our incisors, or front teeth. They use these sturdy, flat teeth to bite into creatures like crustaceans, which have tough outer exoskeletons, as well as mollusks with shells. The fish also dine on softer treats, like seagrass, marine worms, and plankton.
Like sharks and some other fish species, sheepshead fish have multiple rows of teeth. This helps them chew. “Their teeth work in the same fashion as our molars [found in the back of human mouths], providing an excellent surface for crushing food,” says George Matsumoto. He’s a marine biologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California. Having many rows of teeth also helps the fish grip its meal. If it had just one top and one bottom row of teeth, like humans do, hard morsels like clam shells would slip and slide when it tried to bite down.
Sheepshead fish teeth have rounded edges, making them less likely to break than pointier teeth. But even if the fish does break a tooth, it has unlimited backups. A new one pops through its gums as a replacement. That’s something to smile about—even if it is a bit creepy