Fang

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title: "Fang" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["teeth", "veterinary-dentistry"] description: "Pointed specialized tooth" topic_path: "general/teeth" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fang" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Pointed specialized tooth ::

::callout[type=note] the tooth ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Fangs_01_rfc1036.jpg" caption="canines]], or fangs, of a domestic [[cat]]. (The largest two teeth of the top and bottom rows of teeth.)"] ::

A fang is a long, pointed tooth. In mammals, a fang is a modified maxillary tooth, used for nibbling and tearing flesh. In snakes, it is a specialized tooth that is associated with a venom gland (see snake venom). Spiders also have external fangs, which are part of the chelicerae.

Fangs are most common in carnivores or omnivores, but some herbivores, such as fruit bats, have them as well. They are generally used to hold or swiftly kill prey, such as in large cats. Omnivorous animals, such as bears, use their fangs when hunting fish or other prey, but they are not needed for consuming fruit. Some apes also have fangs, which they use for threats and fighting. However, the relatively short canines of humans are not considered to be fangs.

Fangs in religion, mythology and legend

Certain mythological and legendary creatures such as dragons, gargoyles, demons and yakshas are commonly depicted with prominent fangs. The fangs of vampires are one of their defining characteristics.

The iconographic representation of some Hindu deities include fangs, to symbolize the ability to hunt and kill. Two examples are fierce warrior goddess Chamunda and god of death Yama in some iconographic representations. Fangs are also common among guardian figures such as Verupaksha in Buddhism art in China and East Asia, as well as Rangda in Balinese Hinduism. ::data[format=table] | [[File:Halloween95 Showing my fangs.jpg|thumb|150px|Halloween costumer with vampire fangs]] | [[File:The deity Yama with fangs and holding a daṇḍa (a rod).jpg|thumb|140px|Hindu god of death [[Yama]] with fangs]] | [[File:The Hindu deity Chamunda - Indian Art - Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.jpg|thumb|110px|Hindu warrior goddess [[Chamunda]].]] | [[File:Replica longboat at Ebbsfleet, Pegwell Bay (head) - geograph.org.uk - 503157.jpg|thumb|130px|Dragon head on the replica ship, "Hugin"]] | [[File:Bushmaster Fangs - Flickr - Dick Culbert.jpg|thumb|130px|Snake fangs]] | |---|---|---|---|---| ::

References

References

1. "Fang - Definition of Fang by Merriam-Webster".
2. (July 2008). "Evolutionary origin and development of snake fangs". Nature.
3. (7 November 2013). "The Vampire in Contemporary Popular Literature". Routledge.
4. (2013). "The Ashgate Research Companion to Monsters and the Monstrous". Ashgate.
5. "Rangda - Asian Art Museum".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::