![]() We used rocks to crack open nuts and pounded hard roots and plants to make them easier to eat. Obviously, we also developed the use of tools. Not only did this make food easier to digest, but also much easier to chew, break apart, and swallow. Some time between 1.8 million years ago and 400,000 years ago, we began cooking our food. One reason humans don’t have higher bite forces is our diet. Their bite force of 72 PSI is massive in comparison to their body weight, and this measurement came from a fish weighing only around 2 ½ pounds (1.13 kg). Black piranhas grow to around a foot in length and at most weigh in around eight pounds (3.62 kg). You’re probably looking at the measly 72 PSI bite force of a black piranha and wondering why it got mentioned here. White sharks of a similar size would only be capable of around 360 PSI. They’re much smaller than white sharks, reaching typical sizes of nine feet and around 800 pounds. Bull Shark (478 psi)īull sharks have the strongest bite of any shark when you factor in body size. In the end, it was too murky to include them in the above top ten, but they likely have the strongest bite force behind saltwater crocodiles and white sharks. I also found people who believed the bite could exceed 5,000 PSI. The one study I found only used an eight-foot (2.43 m) specimen and extrapolated that a 16-foot (4.87 m) specimen would have a bite around 3,000 PSI. I’ve found conflicting numbers when it comes to Nile crocodiles. They rely on hunting in groups, dragging down and suffocating prey, so they never needed a bite force as strong as the solitary tigers and jaguars. Lion (650 psi)ĭespite their fearsome reputation and iconic status, lions only have a slightly higher bite force than mastiff dogs. You may also like: Be Fascinated with the 6 Wonderful Types of Elephants Roaming on Earth: Complete with Images, Facts, and More! Other Bite Forces 11. The largest populations of saltwater crocodiles are found in India, Australia, and Southeastern Asia. Saltwater crocodiles frequently reach lengths over twenty feet (6.09 m) and weigh over 2,000 pounds (907.18 kg). You can find more information on the National geographic study here. ![]() The highest reading of the tests was from a 17-foot (5.18 m) saltie that exerted over 3,700 PSI. Of all animals that have been tested, the saltwater crocodile had the highest bite force. If you’re going to bite as hard as some of these animals, you either better have incredibly strong teeth or the ability to replace them quickly. Sharks and crocodiles species go through hundreds, if not thousands, of teeth during their lifetime. It isn’t always necessary, but the ability to replace teeth is important for animals with massive bite forces that chew through bone. These are examples of animals naturally developing stronger jaws to accommodate their food sources. ![]() Being able to chew through hard roots and shoot like gorillas makes more food available than if they relied only on fruit or soft shoots. Adaptations like being able to crush your prey’s skull like a jaguar make hunting safer and more efficient. Stronger and larger jaw and neck muscles contribute to having a stronger bite force.Īlong the evolutionary line, all species adapt and change based on their food sources. While we didn’t develop super-strong jaw muscles, many animals did. ![]() Your jaw muscles are what allow you to open and close your mouth. Just like T-rex, many animals have flexible joints built into their skulls that act as shock absorbers and allow the skull and jaws to flex, keeping that force from rebounding on themselves. It was theorized for a long time that a T-rex could shatter its own skull with a bite force as powerful as it likely had. Plasticity is important for both the skull and jawbones. There are many reasons for this, but mainly it’s because they have highly dense jaw and skull bones, as well as favorable angles for exerting that force. Many animals can shatter or break bones with their jaws, but their own bones don’t break when they do so. If you’re going to exert a lot of force with some part of your body, you need your bones to be strong enough to do it and not shatter. Sloped and angled skulls provide better leverage and better anchor points for larger jaw muscles as well. A narrower jaw leads to the force being spread over a smaller area. The shape of the skull and jaw are important when calculating bite force. The largest factors include skull shape, bone density, plasticity, jaw muscles, diet, and tooth replacement. Honestly, quite a lot goes into what determines bite force. ![]()
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