Like cichlids, minnows use their pharyngeal jaws to process food. suggest some possible structural differences between the teeth on the pharyngeal jaws of carnivorous and herbivorous minnows.

The pharyngeal jaws of herbivorous and carnivorous minnows have different structures. Carnivorous minnows have sharper teeth that they use for biting into, and tearing their prey into tinier pieces. Herbivorous minnows on the other hand have evolved to have more flattened teeth that they use for grinding plants and algae.