Capybara Teeth: Everything You Need to Know

The capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest rodent in the world, growing up to 4.6 feet in length and weighing up to 165 pounds. Capybaras are semi-aquatic rodents native to South America, where they live in savannas, rainforests, and wetlands near water sources, such as rivers, ponds, and marshes. Capybaras are herbivores that, like all rodents, have large, chisel-like incisors that never stop growing, requiring them to consistently chew on tough, abrasive foods like grasses, bark, and aquatic plants to wear them down and prevent overgrowth. Capybaras also have hypsodont (high-crowned, ever-growing) molars and premolars, which are specialized, complex grinding teeth adapted for their herbivorous diet. Continue reading to discover everything you need to know about capybara teeth.

What Kind of Teeth Do Capybaras Have?

The word rodent is derived from the Latin verb rodere, meaning to gnaw or eat away. Rodents must consistently gnaw because their incisors grow continuously throughout their lives, requiring regular use to prevent them from overgrowing, which can have dire consequences, including starvation.

Located front and center in their mouths, capybaras have two upper and two lower incisors, which are perfectly adapted to their herbivorous diet. These durable, iron-strengthened orange enamel incisors are used to cut tough grasses and bark, which prevents overgrowth while efficiently processing fibrous plants.

Capybaras, like most rodents, lack canines, leaving a gap between their incisors and premolars, called the diastema. Following the diastema are premolars and molars lining the upper and lower jaws. Capybara molars, similar to their incisors, are also hypsodont (continuously growing) and perfectly adapted for their abrasive, fibrous herbivorous diet, acting like grinding plates to process tough grasses.

How Many Teeth Do Capybaras Have?

Capybaras have a total of 20 teeth. Four of these are sharp incisors that help them gnaw wood or plant material. The incisors, or front teeth, are followed by four premolars: one pair on the upper jaw and another pair on the lower jaw. Capybaras have 12 molar teeth, with three located on each side of the upper and lower jaws.

What Do Capybaras Use Their Teeth For?

Capybaras use their front teeth, or incisors, to shear and cut their plant-based food into smaller, more chewable pieces. They then push the food toward the rear part of their mouth to be crushed and ground by their premolars and molars.

The upper and lower pairs of incisors inside a capybara’s mouth work together like a pair of scissors to cut grasses from the ground. 

Why Do Capybaras Keep on Chewing?

Capybaras are born with long incisors that continue to grow throughout their lives. However, if these front teeth become too long, they can interfere with feeding. Capybaras must regularly use their incisors to wear them down and keep them at a reasonable length. 

In addition to gnawing on food, capybaras also grind their teeth against each other, a process similar to sharpening a knife blade on a stone. The friction caused between the upper and lower incisors keeps the capybara’s teeth short and sharp.

The front outer layer of a capybara’s teeth is made of hard enamel, which is resistant to wear. This enamel contains iron, giving the teeth their characteristic orange or yellowish color and increasing their strength and resistance to acid. The softer dentine at the back of the incisors wears down more quickly than the enamel at the front. As a result, each time the capybara gnaws, the front teeth develop a sharp, beveled edge, making them more effective for gnawing.

The capybara’s incisors can be up to three inches long. Longer teeth can hamper them from properly eating, which can lead to starvation and malnutrition, especially in older, weak animals.

Do Capybaras Bite?

Capybaras are usually friendly toward humans. However, provoking or threatening a capybara can drive them to bite. Capybaras are strong, and their teeth are sharp, so their bite can be very painful.