Category: Fish
This species of shark can be found in temperate and sub-tropical ocean waters worldwide. They inhabit the continental shelf, their habitat ranges sandy shorelines to submerged reefs at depths of around 625 feet. It is a relative of the white shark and looks fearsome but it is actually a relatively placid, slow-moving shark with no recorded human fatalities. It is unique among sharks in that it can gulp air, which allows it to maintain its position in the water column with little effort. During pregnancy, the most developed embryos will feed on its siblings, a strategy known as “intrauterine cannibalism.”
Undersea Conversations…
While it isn’t obvious, fish have ears, and are able to communicate to one another through sounds. They don’t have vocal chords, but instead vibrate their swim bladders, producing popping, grunting, moaning, barking, or chirping noises. While some species of fish, like the goldfish, are silent listeners, there are over 1000 species that are known to vocalize, and some, like the gurnard who are veritable chatterboxes. While we can’t have a conversation with them - at least not yet - it is theorized that they do it to attract mates, frighten away predators or competitors, to synchronize mating, call for help and warn others, or to orient themselves.
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
