Biologists recorded shark "conversations" for the first time

Researchers from New Zealand have made an amazing discovery, recording for the first time in the history of science the ability of sharks to produce sounds. The results of the study were published today in the prestigious scientific journal Science.

Until now, the scientific community was convinced that sound communication was the prerogative of marine mammals and bony fish. More than a thousand species of the latter demonstrate an impressive sound repertoire: from grunting and moaning to real barking. However, cartilaginous fish, which include sharks, rays, and electric rays, were considered practically silent inhabitants of the ocean depths.

The unexpected discovery occurred during routine studies of the hearing abilities of sharks kept in captivity. Scientists were surprised to find that the New Zealand hound shark, known as rig (Mustelus lenticulatus), produces distinct clicking sounds in the aquarium. This species represents small to medium-sized sharks that inhabit the coast of New Zealand, where they feed predominantly on crabs and other crustaceans.

According to the researchers' hypothesis, sharks produce sounds by clicking their flat rows of teeth, which evolutionarily are not designed for grinding prey. Notably, the sounds they emit are in a higher frequency range than those that sharks themselves can perceive - these marine predators predominantly detect low-frequency noises. Biologists suggest that the recorded clicks are not a means of communication between individuals, but rather represent a defensive reaction to stressful situations or fright. During experimental observations, sounds were registered in the first minutes after physical contact with the sharks, and then gradually ceased.