BC-355-J - Arabian Camel, Dromedary Jaw

The Dromedary camel (also known as the Arabian Camel) lives in the arid regions of the Middle East and in the Saharan Desert of Africa.

Juvenile camels have 22 milk teeth and by 5 years old, will have 34 permanent teeth. The lower jaw of a camel presents a weak point between the front teeth and the cheekteeth. During rut, some irritable male camels are compelled to bite hard objects and consequently fracture their jaw at this vulnerable point. In addition to antemortem missing teeth, an abscess is evident in this specimen’s jaw.

Domestication of the Dromedary camel occurred about 4,000 years ago in Abu Dhabi and the northern portion of the Arabian Peninsula and are still used for transport across arid environments.