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When we think of the dreaded predators in the ocean, the first thing that comes to mind is probably a shark. Sharks are notorious meat eaters. They feed mainly on fish, crabs and other small marine mammals. However, researchers have identified a species of shark that feeds mainly on plants.
The shark-bonnethead, a small hammerhead shark, eats seagrasses that account for more than 62% of their diet. The rest of the meal is meat-based, making it an omnivorous shark. Omnivorous animals are animals that can eat meat and plants.
"The Bonnetheads have a very similar digestive system to other closely related, strictly carnivorous species, and the fact that they act as omnivores is truly remarkable!" at the University of California, Irvine, said.
Scientists have long known that bonnethead sharks eat a lot of seagrass. But they assumed that these animals only consumed seagrass as they hunted squid, molluscs and other invertebrates.
To find out, the researchers conducted a series of laboratory tests and fed the shark head-to-head a primarily planet-based food. They then analyzed the amount of nutrients digested by these captive sharks. It has turned out that not only boonethead sharks eat grass, but also successfully digest plant materials and absorb nutrients from them.
The researchers found that the digestive system contains enzymes that break down fibers and organic matter.
The researchers wrote in the study that Bonnethead sharks do not consume only a large amount of seagrass, but that they are actually able to digest and assimilate nutrients from seagrass beds. sailors. an omnivorous digestive strategy. "
An estimated 4.9 million number of bald sharks in the coasts of North America and Latin America. These sharks live in shallow waters and they usually grow 2 to 3 feet long.
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