In the case of the kitefin shark, which has few or no predators, it is possible that the slow-moving species uses its natural glow to illuminate the ocean floor while it searches for food, or to disguise itself while approaching its prey.įurther study would be needed to confirm either hypothesis, the researchers wrote in a paper published in the Frontiers in Marine Science journal, as well as to understand just how the species’ bioluminescence functioned – and possible implications for prey-predation relationships. Researchers suggest these three species’ glowing underbellies may help camouflage them from any threats that might strike from beneath. Seen from below, the sharks appear backlit against the bright surface of the water, leaving them exposed to potential predators without any place to hide. The sharks all live in what is known as the mesopelagic or “twilight” zone of the ocean, between 200 and 1,000 metres deep, beyond which sunlight does not penetrate. The researchers, from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand, said the findings had repercussions for our understanding of life in the deep sea one of the least-studied ecosystems on the planet.
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