Do penguins have teeth?
Penguins do not have teeth. Instead, they have backward-facing fleshy spines on their tongues and the roofs of their mouths called papillae. These spines help grip slippery prey like fish, squid, and krill and prevent food from escaping. The spines point toward the throat, so once prey is caught, it can only move in one direction — down. Penguins typically swallow their food whole while still underwater, using these papillae as their primary gripping mechanism.
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Where this answer comes from
Reference bodies behind our basics answers. Links last checked August 5, 2026.
- Smithsonian Ocean Portal - Penguin biology, anatomy, and breeding explainers.
- BirdLife Data Zone - Species accounts, distribution, and population summaries.
- Penguins International - Species explainers and conservation context focused on penguins.