Why is chewing prey unusual among fishes?

Chewing prey is considered rare among fishes because most species rely on alternative feeding mechanisms, such as suction or simply seizing and swallowing their food whole. While many fishes possess teeth, these are typically adapted for grasping, piercing, or holding prey rather than the mechanical mastication seen in mammals or crustaceans.123

The lungfish is a notable exception to this general rule. It possesses specialized crushing teeth on its lower jaw and a hard transverse bridge on its upper jaw, which allow it to suck in, crush, and thoroughly chew its prey. In other groups, such as certain perciforms or ostariophysans, grinding or crushing may occur using pharyngeal (throat) teeth, but this is distinct from the oral chewing behavior observed in lungfish.134