Durophagy

Durophagy is feeding on hard-shelled or hard-bodied prey by crushing or otherwise processing it. It has shaped specialized jaws, teeth, and feeding behaviors in many animals.

Shell-crushing: The breaking of shells to expose the edible tissues inside. It is the central mechanical challenge durophagous predators must solve.
Mollusk shell: A hard external structure secreted by many mollusks, composed chiefly of calcium carbonate. Mollusk shells are among the most common barriers targeted by durophagous predators.
Molariform teeth: Broad, rounded teeth suited to crushing or grinding rather than slicing. These teeth commonly appear in animals that feed on hard-shelled prey.
Oyster drill: A predatory sea snail that drills through the shells of oysters and other mollusks. Its drilling provides a clear alternative to crushing shelled prey.
Durophagous dentition: Teeth adapted to crush or fracture hard prey, often with broad, robust crowns. Tooth shape and strength determine which hard prey a predator can process.
Exoskeleton: A rigid external covering that supports and protects an animal’s body. It is the broader body structure that makes many prey difficult to consume.
Stomach stones: Ingested stones retained in an animal’s digestive tract, sometimes aiding food processing. Some animals use stones to help grind hard food after swallowing it.
Pufferfish: A fish with fused teeth forming a beak-like structure, used to bite hard prey. Its beak can crack mollusks and crustaceans, illustrating specialized durophagy.
Bite force: The force exerted by an animal’s jaws during biting. High bite forces help crack shells and other protective structures.
Chitin: A tough structural polysaccharide found in arthropod exoskeletons and other biological structures. Arthropod prey can resist feeding with chitin-reinforced external coverings.

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