Male Ghost Sharks Evolve Forehead Teeth for Mating Purposes
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8mo ago· 4 min readenNews
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Summary
Male ghost sharks (chimaeras) have evolved a unique forehead appendage called a tenaculum that contains real, retractable teeth used for mating purposes. This specialized structure, found only in males, functions similarly to how sharks use their toothy mouths during mating to grasp females. The discovery reveals evolutionary adaptations in deep-sea creatures and provides insights into mating behaviors of these mysterious fish.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledMale "ghost sharks" — eerie deep-sea fish known as chimaeras that are related to sharks and rays — have a strange rod jutting from their foreheads, studded with sharp, retractable teeth
New research reveals these are not merely lookalikes, but real rows of teeth that grow outside the mouth
Found only in males, the forehead rod — called a tenaculum — is the ghost sharks' only source of distinct teeth, and it seems to be used to grasp females in much the same way sharks use their toothy mouths in mating
The unusual teeth tell a story about the mysteries of evolution
The unusual teeth tell a story about the mysteries of evolution.
