Sharks Break Their Silence: First Recorded Shark Sound Discovered

In a first-of-its-kind finding, researchers have recorded the first case of intentional noise-making in sharks. The watercolor conception IGOs On Land was produced by the phenomenon IGOs painter, Carolin Nieder, at the University of Auckland’s Leigh Marine Lab in New Zealand. This unexpected finding involves the rig or spotted estuary smoothhound shark, which has been recorded making clicking sounds with its teeth. Researchers from the University of Southampton published their study March 26 in Royal Society Open Science. Their goal was to determine small species of sharks’ auditory capabilities.

A Surprise Discovery

It was pure serendipity that led to the first discovery of sound production in sharks. During his postdoctoral research at the University of Auckland, Nieder captured the clicking sounds produced by the rig shark. This species, called Mustelus leucticulates in Latin, have flat teeth that help them crush the shells of crustaceans they might eat. This study showed that these teeth can be used to generate communicative sounds.

The rig shark’s clicking is pretty amazing. It represents the first recorded example of sound production on purpose among the family of sharks. Prior incidences of this distinctive clicking noise had only been documented in cownose rays as early as 1971. This amazing find has opened a surprising new chapter in the history of marine biology.

Understanding Shark Communication

The research team, which was led by Nieder, set out to learn more about the hearing abilities of the rig shark. The purpose of the study was to learn how these sharks were hearing things around them. As a part of that study, the research team discovered that the hearing spectrum of these sharks is restricted to frequencies below 1,000 hertz. Historically, non-human hearing extends only up to 20,000 hertz, an enormous divergence in auditory perception between species.

That finding raises the possibility that these clicking sounds could be a social call used between sharks. In fact, the rig sharks started by generating clicks within the first week of testing. They didn’t continue on from there, possibly indicating that their noises might vary based on the context or the individual interaction.

Implications and Future Research

While the implications of this discovery are profound for understanding shark behavior, their applicability doesn’t stop there. It raises some extremely interesting questions about the development of sound production and communication in marine animals. The study opens new avenues for research into how other shark species might use sound and how these abilities fit into their ecological roles.

There’s more work to be done to find out whether other shark species possess this kind of smart hunting behavior. Beyond that, we need to explore the environments that surround these sounds. These discoveries may provide a greater understanding of mode of shark communication as well as their social structures and interactions.