A statistical analysis of shark attacks worldwide using data collected over a 55-year period found that although the number of shark attacks has increased over time, the rate of attack is low. Using data from the International Shark Attack File housed in the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida, LSU Department […]
Humans may soon regrow teeth just like a shark
Sharks are the ultimate predators of the aquatic realm thanks to one character in particular – teeth. Not only are shark’s teeth razor sharp but they are also constantly regrown throughout life, gradually replaced like a conveyor belt of rows of teeth, and not just when they are worn down or fall out. This is […]
SharkoFiles: Wobbegong Shark
The Wobbegong shark’s unusual name is derived from an Australian Aboriginal word that means “shaggy beard.” Wobbegongs are also known as carpet sharks because of their propensity for lying motionless on the ocean floor. The shark’s body is often covered with an ornate pattern. Generally, this species of shark are harmless and not as fearsome […]
Cartilage skeletons an evolutionary adaptation for sharks
Sharks are one of the oldest and least changed of all the living back-boned jawed creatures. But because their skeletons are made of cartilage much of their early fossil record is poor. Cartilage is a rubbery tissue that forms the framework for bones to ossify (harden) upon. It’s why babies have rubbery legs when they […]
Sharks prefer to sneak attack
Sharks can comprehend body orientation and therefore know whether humans are facing them or not. This ability helps sharks to approach and possibly attack their prey from the blind side – a technique they prefer — according to a study published in the journal, Animal Cognition, by Erich Ritter of the Shark Research Institute and Raid Amin of […]
Lessons learned from a shark bite survivor
It is received wisdom that many shark attacks take place because the ocean predators “mistake” surfers for seals. But this assumption does not recognise what quick and efficient predators they are. The fossil record tells us sharks have been evolving for at least 20 million years, and as a result are perfectly adapted for what […]
Satellite trackers help crack down on illegal shark fishing
In April 2015, researchers headed out to the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean to service acoustic receivers they had dotted around the archipelago, and to download tag data from the 95 grey reef and silvertip sharks they had tagged a year prior. Little did they know that over the course of 10 days during […]
New study shows more genetic data on sharks needed
The headlines are eye-catching: Scientists have sequenced the genome of white sharks. Or the bamboo lemur, or the golden eagle. But why spend so much time and money figuring out the DNA makeup of different species? I am an evolutionary biologist at the Florida Program for Shark Research. Our research focuses on understanding how modern […]
SharkoFiles: Northern River Shark
The Northern River Shark (Glyphis garricki) is one of the rarest species of shark in the world. It is known only from a small number of locations in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Papua New Guinea. Discovered in Australia in 1986, only 36 specimens have been recorded here since. The Northern River Shark is […]
Are sharks color blind?
We’ve known since early last year that sharks are most likely colour-blind. But today, in a paper published in Biology Letters by our team at UWA, we explain why this is the case. It’s a finding we believe could help prevent shark attacks and other negative encounters between these marine predators and humans in the […]
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