2023-08-16 04:00:10
Australian researchers have discovered a new species of shark with teeth surprisingly similar to human molars, used to crush its prey.
Credit: CSIRO
This new species, called Heterodontus marshallae, belongs to the order Heterodontiformes. These sharks are characterized by their singular body shape and the small horns above their eyes. Their morphology is reminiscent of long-extinct fossil sharks. Helen O’Neill, a biologist specializing in ichthyology with the Australian Government Agency CSIRO, indicates that these sharks are ultimately not closely related to these fossils.
Heterodontus marshallae is found exclusively in the waters of northwestern Australia (Australia (officially Commonwealth of Australia) is a country of…), at depths ranging from 125 to 229 meters. Their jaw, disproportionate to their skull (The skull is a bony or cartilaginous structure of the head, characteristic of…), allows them to feed on molluscs and crustaceans (Crustaceans (Crustacea) are arthropods, c that is to say animals whose body…). Will White, co-author of the study, explains that the teeth of this species are designed to crush thick-shelled prey.
Jaws of H. marshallae from a preserved female specimen.
Credit: ANFC
During a 2022 expedition to Gascoyne Marine Park, researchers captured an adult male measuring 53 centimeters. Unlike other Australian horn sharks, this species features a striped pattern. Another species, the shark (Requin [ʁəkɛ̃] is a now ambiguous term designating in…) horn zebra (Zèbre an ambiguous vernacular name in French, which can designate several…), has similar stripes, but lives in shallower waters near Indonesia (L’ Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia (in Indonesian Republik…) or Japan.
Helen O’Neill points out that even if they already had a female in collection, the capture of a male was essential because the males have external reproductive organs which make it possible to distinguish the species.
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