The sharks were thought to be completely silent. But no: scientists have now discovered a species – mustelus lenticulatus, about one and a half meters long – which produces characteristic sounds, perhaps by beating the teeth.
Forget the images of the teeth of the sharks, pointed, sharp and threatening. The teeth of Mustelus lenticulatus They are dishes and arranged like the tiles of a mosaic, on the upper jaw and on the lower one. They are made to break the crustacean carapace, among the prey of these small sharks long up to one and a half meter widespread in the waters of New Zealand. Now we have seen that these teeth would also serve to produce sounds: short and characteristic “clic”, which you can listen to below.
Carolin Nieder, of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (USA) recorded them:: Mustelus lenticulatus It is therefore the first “sound” shark, given that so far these fish were considered silent. A study on Carolin Nieder is dedicated to the study of Carolin Nieder Evidence Network n ° 393.
Listened to by chance. “I was doing the research doctorate at the University of Auckland (New Zealand), studying the hearing of four species of sharks. In the experiments in the tanks, the sharks were manipulated in water, to move or measure them. And I noticed that one of the species, Mustelus lenticulatusproduced sounds, precisely short clicks. These sharks, however, stopped during the experiment, as if they had become accustomed to the test routine, “says Carolin Nieder.” Then I started thinking that it could be precise behavior, a production of sounds, also in light of the publication of a study on sounds emitted by races, in response to the approach of the sub “. Nieder then conducted a specific study, documenting the sounds emitted by these sharks, probably. beating the teeth. Rhinoptera Bonasuswidespread in the Atlantic and equipped with plaque teeth with which it crushes the shells of the molluscs of which it feeds: one of the breeds (which are cartilaginous fish like sharks) whose sounds have been identified.
