Fang

A fang is a long, pointed tooth. In mammals, a fang is a special kind of upper tooth used for biting and tearing food. In snakes, fangs are connected to glands that produce venom, helping them catch prey (see snake venom). Even spiders have external fangs that are part of their mouthparts called chelicerae.

Fangs are most often found in animals that eat meat, like large cats, but some animals that eat both meat and plants, such as bears, also have them. These teeth help animals hold onto or quickly catch their food. Some fruit-eating bats even have fangs, though they mainly use them for other purposes. Humans have short canine teeth, but these are not considered true fangs.

Fangs in religion, mythology and legend

In many stories and legends, creatures like dragons, gargoyles, demons, and yakshas are shown with big, pointy teeth called fangs. Vampires are especially known for their fangs.

Some religious images also show fangs. For example, the strong goddess Chamunda and the god of death Yama in Hinduism sometimes have fangs. Fangs appear on guard figures in Buddhist art from China and East Asia, and also on Rangda in Balinese Hinduism.