Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Quantitative muscle architecture in large carnivorous marsupials (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) and links to substrate use and prey processing.

Anatomical record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007)·2026

Same author

Functional trade-offs and innovation shape the adaptive landscape of aquatic mammal feeding.

iScience·2026

Same author

Kinematics of strikes in venomous snakes.

The Journal of experimental biology·2025

Same author

Bone microstructure supports a Mesozoic origin for a semiaquatic burrowing lifestyle in monotremes (Mammalia).

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Same author

Common developmental origins of beak shapes and evolution in theropods.

iScience·2025

Same author

Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy Reveals Trace Elemental Indicators of Life History in Marsupial Teeth.

Biological trace element research·2025

Same journal

Cat colonies reshape the abundance and body size of lizards.

Biology letters·2026

Same journal

Visual signal dynamicity shapes detectability in the wild: an experiment with a mate-searching butterfly.

Biology letters·2026

Same journal

Transient marine species disproportionately expand the morphospace of North American continental freshwater fishes.

Biology letters·2026

Same journal

An unrecognized fine-scale host-plant adaptation in a leaf miner: correct dorsoventral egg orientation is essential for successful leaf entry.

Biology letters·2026

Same journal

Alpine adaptation drives rapid colour evolution in a Batesian mimic.

Biology letters·2026

Same journal

Song but not colour divergence constrains hybridization in birds.

Biology letters·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

Microhardness Measurements on Tooth and Alveolar Bone in Rodent Oral Disease Models

Microhardness Measurements on Tooth and Alveolar Bone in Rodent Oral Disease Models

Published on: April 26, 2024

Testing microstructural adaptation in the earliest dental tools.

David Jones¹, Alistair R Evans, Emily J Rayfield

¹School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol, BS8 1RJ UK. david.jones@bris.ac.uk

Biology Letters

|July 6, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

White matter, unique to early vertebrate conodont elements, enhanced cusp strength for food fracture. Its presence and loss may indicate dietary and functional adaptations in these ancient dental structures.

More Related Videos

Sampling and Pretreatment of Tooth Enamel Carbonate for Stable Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Analysis

Sampling and Pretreatment of Tooth Enamel Carbonate for Stable Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Analysis

Published on: August 15, 2018

Quasistatic Mechanical Testing for Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing Occlusal Veneers Cemented to Milled Dentin Analog Material

Quasistatic Mechanical Testing for Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing Occlusal Veneers Cemented to Milled Dentin Analog Material

Published on: December 20, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 20, 2026

Microhardness Measurements on Tooth and Alveolar Bone in Rodent Oral Disease Models

Microhardness Measurements on Tooth and Alveolar Bone in Rodent Oral Disease Models

Published on: April 26, 2024

Sampling and Pretreatment of Tooth Enamel Carbonate for Stable Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Analysis

Sampling and Pretreatment of Tooth Enamel Carbonate for Stable Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Analysis

Published on: August 15, 2018

Quasistatic Mechanical Testing for Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing Occlusal Veneers Cemented to Milled Dentin Analog Material

Quasistatic Mechanical Testing for Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing Occlusal Veneers Cemented to Milled Dentin Analog Material

Published on: December 20, 2024

Area of Science:

Paleontology
Vertebrate Evolution
Biomineralization

Background:

Conodont elements represent the earliest known vertebrate dental structures.
These elements feature cusps and denticles for food processing, composed of lamellar crown tissue and a unique 'white matter' tissue.
White matter's function in conodont elements as teeth is hypothesized but not quantitatively confirmed.

Purpose of the Study:

To quantitatively investigate the functional role of white matter in conodont elements using finite-element analysis.
To determine if white matter enhances the mechanical properties of conodont dental structures.
To explore the implications of white matter's presence and loss for understanding conodont diet and evolution.

Main Methods:

Finite-element analysis was employed to simulate stress distribution on conodont element cusps.
Models compared cusps with and without white matter to assess mechanical performance.
Phylogenetic analysis was considered in relation to microstructural variations.

Main Results:

White matter significantly increased the tensile stress resistance of cusps and denticles.
Cusps composed solely of lamellar crown tissue exhibited lower stress tolerance.
Results suggest white matter provided a crucial mechanical advantage for feeding.

Conclusions:

White matter was a key functional adaptation in early vertebrate dental structures, enhancing resistance to fracture.
The presence, development, and phylogenetic loss of white matter may correlate with changes in conodont diet and jaw mechanics.
Studying white matter provides insights into the functional evolution of the first vertebrate teeth.