Camouflage key to "one of the most mysterious areas of shark biology."
In what may sound like soggy logic, the smalleye pygmy shark hides in the dark by lighting up, a new study says.
The research is helping to illuminate one of sharkdom's biggest
evolutionary puzzles: how some species came to shine in the first place.
"More than 10 percent of currently described shark species are luminous," lead study author Julien Claes said via email.
"However, bioluminescence remains one of the most mysterious areas of shark biology," added Claes, a biologist with Belgium's Catholic University of Louvain.
Growing to be just 6 inches (15 centimeters) long, the smalleye pygmy is among the world's smallest sharks. In its deep, open-ocean habitat, the species' shining blue belly acts as camouflage, the study says.
"If you're swimming in the deep-blue dark waters, seen from underneath, you create a shadow against the bluish light coming from the surface," said study co-author Jérôme Mallefet.
"If you produce the same bluish light on your belly, you disappear—you don't show your shadow anymore," added Mallefet, also a biologist at the Catholic University of Louvain.
"More than 10 percent of currently described shark species are luminous," lead study author Julien Claes said via email.
"However, bioluminescence remains one of the most mysterious areas of shark biology," added Claes, a biologist with Belgium's Catholic University of Louvain.
Growing to be just 6 inches (15 centimeters) long, the smalleye pygmy is among the world's smallest sharks. In its deep, open-ocean habitat, the species' shining blue belly acts as camouflage, the study says.
"If you're swimming in the deep-blue dark waters, seen from underneath, you create a shadow against the bluish light coming from the surface," said study co-author Jérôme Mallefet.
"If you produce the same bluish light on your belly, you disappear—you don't show your shadow anymore," added Mallefet, also a biologist at the Catholic University of Louvain.
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Yosof A. Mohammed
Yosof_90@yahoo.com
http://UNB-facts.blogspot.com
Yosof A. Mohammed
Yosof_90@yahoo.com
http://UNB-facts.blogspot.com
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