Quick Definition
Teeth borne on the vomer bone in the roof of the mouth, used in identifying many fish families including salmonids and pikes.
📖 Full Definition
The vomer is an unpaired bone forming the anterior part of the roof of the mouth (palate) in bony fishes. In many species it bears teeth — vomerine teeth — which function to grip slippery prey and prevent escape after initial capture. The presence, absence, and pattern of vomerine teeth is an important taxonomic character: Atlantic salmon bear vomerine teeth in two rows on the vomerian shaft; brown trout bear them in a single, persistent row; pike have large, recurved teeth on the vomer. Many perciforms lack vomerine teeth entirely.
💡 Examples & Context
Distinguishing Atlantic salmon from brown trout in the field involves checking the vomerine teeth: salmon lose their vomerine shaft teeth early, leaving only a few on the head of the bone; trout retain a full double row throughout life.