There is a shark that can live on land for over 10 hours
Shark enthusiast Mekabu (@shark0037) has created a shark encyclopedia, 'The Complete Guide to Sharks of the World,' into which they poured their heart and soul. It features illustrations of all 125 shark species and is packed with shark trivia. In this series, we will introduce selected sharks one by one. This time, we introduce the blind shark, which is cute with its chubby body.
Blind shark
Enjoy its plump, chubby body!
The blind shark has a chubby body and very well-developed nasal barbels. It is a bottom-dwelling, nocturnal species. It is known for its strong vitality, capable of surviving for over 10 hours out of water, allowing it to survive to some extent even if left behind by the receding tide. When out of water, it can retract its eyeballs to protect them.
It can be distinguished from its close relative, the brownbanded bamboo shark, by the presence of spots on its body, larger dermal denticles, and the fact that its first dorsal fin, second dorsal fin, pectoral fins, and pelvic fins are all roughly the same size.
A word from Mekabu
A cute, chubby, dark-colored shark that looks like it has many 'stars' scattered across its body. The rounded look of its snout is also soothing. If you want to see sharks and 'stars,' go see the blind shark.
Trivia
Because its jaw strength and suction power are strong, once it bites, it doesn't let go easily.
■DATA
Order: Orectolobiformes, Family: Brachaeluridae
Scientific name: Brachaelurus waddi
Total length: Up to about 120 cm
Diet: Crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs, small bony fish, sea anemones, etc.
Reproduction: Aplacental viviparity. Gives birth to about 7 to 8 pups
[Shark Trivia] A shark's teeth are replaced 30,000 times in a lifetime
Unlike humans, shark teeth are replaced indefinitely. Human teeth are supported by roots, but shark teeth have no roots and are simply embedded in the gums. In other words, because the teeth are just sitting on the surface of the bone, they repeatedly grow and fall out from the inside to the outside like a conveyor belt.
The speed and number of teeth that grow vary by shark species, but about 30,000 teeth are replaced in a lifetime. This frequency is once a week, or in faster species, once every 2 to 3 days.
While there is a strong image of triangular, sharp teeth that can be seen when a great white shark opens its mouth, the shape of the teeth changes depending on the prey each species eats.
・Crushing teeth
Flat, thin teeth possessed by species like the horn shark. They hold sea urchins, crabs, and shellfish with their front teeth and crush and grind them with the flat rear teeth.
・Triangular teeth
Knife-like teeth with serrated edges possessed by species like the great white shark. They sink their teeth into the flesh of the prey they have bitten and tear it by shaking their heads from side to side.
・Piercing teeth
Thin, long teeth like 'thick needles' possessed by species like the goblin shark and mako shark. They use these teeth to skewer and capture fast-moving prey.
・Cutting teeth
Teeth like a 'can opener' with saw blades possessed by species like the tiger shark. They crush the hard shells of sea turtles and tear them by shaking their heads from side to side.
・Teeth for hooking and holding
The front teeth of sharks like the bullhead shark and the smooth-hound. They use them to pin down and capture sea urchins, crabs, shellfish, and the like.
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Author: Mekabu
Born in Osaka Prefecture. Graduated from the Graphic Design course at Nara College of Arts. Majored in design since high school and is currently a freelance illustrator. After accidentally coming across an article about the Megalodon (a type of shark) which is said to be "extinct," she became interested in ancient sharks and fell in love with them. She has loved aquariums since she was a child and is still the type of person who will stand in front of a shark tank for hours without moving, just watching them. She is also a sucker for shark goods and shark-related items, often buying them on impulse. Her favorite shark is the sand tiger shark (because of its fierce look). In 2019, she was in charge of designing posters and flyers for the 25th-anniversary "Shark Festival" event at the Sea and Living Museum (Tottori Prefecture).
Supervisor: Sho Tanaka
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1952. Graduated from the Department of Fisheries, School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokai University in 1975. Completed his doctoral program at the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo in 1980. He began working in the Department of Fisheries at the same university that year, became a professor in 1994, and Dean of the Graduate School of Biological Sciences in 2014. From 1990 to 1991, he conducted behavioral research on marine animals as a visiting researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the United States. He specializes in marine zoology and conservation ecology, particularly the ecology and life history of apex predators such as sharks. Taking advantage of the benefits of the School of Marine Science and Technology located right in front of Suruga Bay, he has made the study of deep-sea sharks his life's work, and has also conducted research on freshwater sharks and rays inhabiting tropical rivers in unexplored regions around the world. He is a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Group, the Japanese Society of Fisheries Science, the Ichthyological Society of Japan, and the Japanese Society for Elasmobranch Studies. His books include "Beautiful Predators: A Shark Guide" (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha) and "Chasing Deep-Sea Sharks" (Takarajimasha), among others.