Shark Chronicles 018 – White shark dissection

Shark Chronicles 018 – White shark dissection

Posted by Enrico Gennari on July 28, 2008

SAMPLA scientist Enrico Gennari went to the Natal Shark Board last week to dissect some white sharks for his PhD.

Enrico Gennari dissects a white shark at the Natal Sharks Board

Enrico is looking at the thermal physiology of the white shark. White sharks are one of the few shark species able to keep part of their body temperature above the water temperature allowing them to swim, hunt, and digest more efficiently.

The dissections are aimed at getting information on the ontogenetic (related to the growth of the animal) changes in their physiological ability of maintaining (or maybe even controlling) their body temperature above the external temperature.

The size of the sharks were respectively 1,6 m, 2,1m and 2,7m total length.

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