Back in 1979, in the Eastern part of the Pacific ocean, the biologists caught the world’s smallest shark. Its body length was equal to only 40 centimeters, so she was given a very plain name of “the American pocket shark”. Whether because of her residence in the depths of the oceans, whether due to the rarity of the species, scientists were able to detect the second species only in 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. And then, after examination of her skeleton revealed that the scientists made a mistake. Found the shark refers to a whole new kind and it is the smallest in the world.
Between sharks from the Pacific ocean and the Gulf of Mexico is really a lot of differences. Using a microscope and computer tomography, which allows to examine the inside of the body without opening the body, scientists have identified a second smaller number of vertebrae and the presence of luminous bodies. Length of the smallest sharks were equal to 14.4 centimeters.
Deep-sea shark
In the scientific community luminous bodies of marine animals known as a photovore. They are available in many fish and shellfish that live on the seabed and the ocean floor. For example, such a body is fish-angler fish images, of which you must have seen in biology textbooks and just in scientific articles. In their mind there is a kind of fishing rods, one end of which glows in the dark. This glow attracts the attention of the tiny fish, therefore, gradually moving the bait to your mouth, deep-sea fish can quickly catch and eat their prey.
An angler with fotoforum
You have found the shark, which was named Mollisquama mississippiensis, these luminous organs are located near each fin. Bodies are becoming filled with mucus glands, which live inside the light-emitting bacteria. According to biologists, the shark uses light as a lure for potential prey and to scare off larger predators.
Shark Mollisquama mississippiensis
Length shark equal to 14.4 centimeters
This shark is so small that protection from other predators it clearly can not hurt. From attacks by other predators die even relatively large Arctic shark — recently a group of scientists from the U.S. state of South Carolina made a video of how one of these sharks were eaten by the stone bass. This fish, which lives in close proximity to wrecks, just opened my mouth and in an instant swallowed by the predator.
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Discovering new species of rare fish, the scientists conclude that on planet Earth there are still unknown to science animals. Director of research Tulane University located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, believes that scientists need to make many more discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico. At its bottom, by the way, it is possible to find the body of the drowned astronaut.
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