The Narwhal is the original unicorn, with his long slender tusk. This is the left canine tooth, elongated and protruding through his upper lip. In some individuals (about 1 in 500) both canine teeth have elongated, giving him two tusks. This tusk is not generally used for aggressive behaviour, but more as a sensory organ. It can measure between 1.5 and 3.1 m long and is hollow and covered in nerve endings. He also rubs it against the tusks of other males in social rituals to determine hierarchy. Some females also grow tusks. His main diet is fish and squid, which he mostly inhales without chewing as his other teeth are small and poorly developed.
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