A photo from open sources
Recently, a young male was discovered in Pascagoul’s laboratory sharks that scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric research (NOAA) is a rare species of Mollisquama. This shark is only the second largest ever registered sharks of this species.
This shark was found in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. approximately 350 km from Louisiana. At the time of discovery of a shark was dead, so her body was handed over for research in the lab. The tiny size of the shark literally amazed scientists: her body length was 14 centimeters, and her weight was only 14.6 grams. The first shark of this species was discovered more than 36 years ago in Pacific waters near Peru.
Thanks to a recent find, scientists have received confirmation that that the first tiny shark is not alone and has brothers. However at the same time, other questions appeared: where are they now the ancestors of the recently found shark and how they could be in the waters the bay?
Not officially, this species was called “pocket shark.” Though these crumbs can really fit in your pocket, researchers noted that this nickname was inspired not so much by the size of the sharks, how much a hole resembling a pocket that is located slightly above their pectoral fins. In its diameter, this hole is 4.2 mm. It really is peculiar a pocket in which iron is hidden. Pocket gland function up end is still unclear, although scientists suggest that this body either secrete enzymes that attract a partner, or is source of luminescence to attract production.
Genetic analysis of a shark tissue sample from the bay has pushed to the thought that she belongs to the genus Mollisquama, and also that pocket sharks are closely related not only to the species of upright sharks (Dalatiidae), but also with some species of quite ordinary, standard representatives of the shark family.
However, comparing a recently found sample of a pocket shark with photographs and descriptions of his predecessor, specialists found several differences between the two sharks, including features of the teeth and the number of vertebrae of these strange fish. Moreover, on the outside of the abdominal cavity of a shark from the bay are located light-emitting clusters, which are not mentioned in the descriptions first instance.
Scientists suggest that the cause of these differences may be different sex or age of the studied sharks.
Sharks of Peru
