Scientists have recorded New Zealand’s rig sharks that make noises in the world’s first documented case of active sound production by any shark species.
Until now, it has been known that more than a thousand fish species produce sounds in different contexts, such as mating and for defense against predators.
Although it is known that cartilage fish such as sharks and rays use sound to communicate, detect prey and move safely underwater, they are not known for producing sounds voluntarily.
A 2022 study showed for the first time that a Stingray species clicked when approached by a diver.
A new study found that researchers handled by researchers deliberately short, sharp clicks of relatively high peak frequencies.
The surveys, published in a new study in the magazine Royal Society Open ScienceIndicate that the sounds are created by these small sharks that have vigorously cut their flattened teeth.
Right sharks grow to about 150 cm (5ft) long and are endemic to shallow estuaries around New Zealand.
They mainly feed on crabs and other small crustaceans and are praised by larger sharks.
Scientists suspect that these small sharks produce these sounds in response to interference or distress.
In the study, researchers assessed surveys that were captured from ten rig sharks as they were handled underwater in tanks at the Leigh Marine Laboratory in New Zealand.
“During this short handling time, opportunistically were observed opportunistically to produce clicking noises underwater,” scientists noted.
They assessed the number of clicks that the Sharks produced during each 10 second recording.
The Sharks yielded an average of 9 clicks every 20 seconds, with the most sounds made with body movements, such as moving from right to left, researchers noticed and pointed out that they were probably a ‘fright response’.
“About 25 percent of the clicks came together with an explosive swing (live bend of the head and body from side to side), about 70 percent along with quiet swing (slowly from side to side movements), and 5 percent of the clicks occurred in the absence of clear body movements,” scientists noticed.
“To the best of our knowledge, this study would be the first to show that sharks can produce sounds,” they wrote.
However, researchers call on further studies to confirm the mechanism and determine the sound’s other use and biological interest.
It also remains unclear whether the Rigs can experience their own clicks.
“Further behavioral causations are needed to test and verify this hypothesis or rigs, among other things, natural conditions do without human interference,” scientists concluded.
