Rhachiodont

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Rhachiodont \Rha"chi*o*dont\, a. [Gr. "ra`chis, -ios, the spine
     + ???, ???, a tooth.] (Zool.)
     Having gular teeth formed by a peculiar modification of the
     inferior spines of some of the vertebrae, as certain South
     African snakes ({Dasypeltis}) which swallow birds' eggs and
     use these gular teeth to crush them.


     [1913 Webster]