• Sharks show signs of social structure.
    32 replies, posted
[img]http://i.imgur.com/CV7B7.jpg[/img] [release]Sharks have a reputation for being ruthless, solitary predators, but evidence is mounting that certain species enjoy complex social lives that include longstanding relationships and teamwork. [b]A new study, published in the latest [i]Animal Behaviour[/i], documents how one population of blacktip reef sharks is actually organized into four communities and two subcommunities. The research shows for the first time that adults of a reef-associated shark species form stable, long-term social bonds.[/b] The image contrasts with usual reports on this species, which mistakenly sinks its sharp teeth into surfers and swimmers from time to time. Lead author Johann Mourier told Discovery News that "other species, such as grey reef sharks and scalloped hammerheads form polarized groups where individuals have a specific place, and such species may also have complex social organization." Mourier, a scientist at the Center for Island Research and Environmental Study (CNRS-EPHE), and colleagues Julie Vercelloni and Serge Planes conducted the study at Moorea Island in the Society archipelago, French Polynesia. A total of seven sites were surveyed on a regular basis along just over 6 miles of the north shore of Moorea. The surveys included nearly hour-long dives at a depth close to 50 feet, with the diver photographing nearby sharks. Advertise | AdChoices Analysis of the gathered data determined that the sharks were not within non-random collections, but rather had organized themselves into meaningful social groups. [b]"The four main communities are mixed-sex communities that use a specific home range, however, within these communities individuals tend to associate more often with others of the same sex and length," Mourier said.[/b] In a prior study, he determined that length is proportional to a shark’s age, with male blacktip reef sharks being mature at about the age of 7 and measuring around 3.6 feet long. Females are slightly larger than males. [b]Mourier suspects the sharks join together in communities for protection and to avoid aggression with each other. He and his colleagues also observed a remarkable feat, "when a group of about four or five blacktip reef sharks herded a school of fishes around a coral structure." This suggests they can cooperate with each other to hunt as a team.[/b] Yet another perk to organizing could be that each shark becomes a comforting landmark for others in the group. As Mourier said, [b]"Using a home range and knowing all individuals may help individuals to have a better knowledge of their environment."[/b] The researchers point out that sharks’ relative brain mass-body ratios have been found to be comparable to those of mammals, indicating that they are capable of complex social behaviors on par with those demonstrated in birds and mammals. [b]It could just be that the highly mobile nature of sharks, combined with the difficulty of following individuals in the open sea, has kept their social interactions hidden away from human eyes until recent years.[/b] In another study, led by Demian Chapman, researchers showed that lemon sharks at the Bimini islands, Bahamas, tended to stay near their coastal birthplace for many years. "We were very surprised to see that many lemon sharks lingered for years around the island where they were born — often more than half of their development to adulthood," said Chapman, a shark scientist with the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University. [b]In both studies, age therefore seems to help shape a shark’s social life.[/b] Family ties may also be important to sharks, a possibility that Mourier and his colleagues are investigating now. The scientists clipped the fins of 70 percent of the sharks involved in this latest study and are analyzing the bits for DNA. He said, "This will soon reveal if they tend to group with relatives, as is the case in other social animals, such as for some mammals."[/release] [url]http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46453680/ns/technology_and_science-science/#.T0dFJvVmdHR[/url] It'll be interesting to see how this develops. I suspect such findings will only occur in coastal/reef sharks rather than larger, open-ocean pelagic ones. Though we've been surprised in the past. We know so little about sharks that they could all get together in the middle of the Pacific for a giant tea party and we'd have no idea.
I for one welcome our new shark overlords. [editline]24th February 2012[/editline] Next step in their evolution: [IMG]http://images.wikia.com/fallout/images/0/06/Mirelurk.png[/IMG]
Oh God! Nooooo!
[img]http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lukk3rMeYh1qgs2k5o1_500.jpg[/img]
Fish are friends, not food.
I KNEW IT. [img]http://thinkingoutloud.gr/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/statistics.gif[/img]
That's it, we're doomed.
Well I guess that's that.
[QUOTE=ewitwins;34845102]I for one welcome our new shark overlords. [editline]24th February 2012[/editline] Next step in their evolution: [IMG]http://images.wikia.com/fallout/images/0/06/Mirelurk.png[/IMG][/QUOTE] hey bob remember the days before sharks evolved into crabs? those were the golden years.
Shut up guys, sharks are cool.
[QUOTE=Colliseemoe;34845151]Fish are friends, not food.[/QUOTE] I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine.
[QUOTE=ewitwins;34845102]I for one welcome our new shark overlords. [editline]24th February 2012[/editline] Next step in their evolution: [IMG]http://images.wikia.com/fallout/images/0/06/Mirelurk.png[/IMG][/QUOTE] evolution of this after 1200 years: [IMG]http://images.wikia.com/elderscrolls/images/1/1c/Mud_Crab.jpg[/IMG]
[QUOTE=ewitwins;34845102]I for one welcome our new shark overlords. [editline]24th February 2012[/editline] Next step in their evolution: [IMG]http://images.wikia.com/fallout/images/0/06/Mirelurk.png[/IMG][/QUOTE] Those used to be blue-crabs, not sharks; and that's not evolution, it's b-movie radiation.
I love stuff like this, the more I learn the more I am glad I am majoring as a biologist. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EdaLfJjDuE[/media]
They're going to coordinate attacks at aquariums worldwide. They must be stopped, we are the resistance.
[QUOTE]This suggests they can cooperate with each other to hunt as a team. [/QUOTE] [B]RUN AND PANIC, RUN AND PANIC!!![/B] Okay in all seriousness this is really cool
Something tells me that animals have already welcomed humans as their overlords, if they can even comprehend the idea of welcoming an overlord.
Is that why in documentaries and movies we always see about 3 circling around that's likely to be their target?
[QUOTE=Bat-shit;34847525]Something tells me that animals have already welcomed humans as their overlords, if they can even comprehend the idea of welcoming an overlord.[/QUOTE] I am pretty sure most animals do not see humans as overlords. In fact one could say insects and bacteria are doing much better than us. Not to mention tartigrades which make us look like fragile little babies.
[IMG]http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l3rqcbOFz71qzzxaqo1_500.jpg[/IMG]
[QUOTE=imptastick;34848272]I am pretty sure most animals do not see humans as overlords. In fact one could say insects and bacteria are doing much better than us. Not to mention tartigrades which make us look like fragile little babies.[/QUOTE] And rats. They run friggin everything everywhere
Title is difficult to pronounce; ban OP.
If raptors and sharks didn't already have rad names I'd suggest we rename the other to land-shark or sea-raptor.
[QUOTE=Rents;34853590]If raptors and sharks didn't already have rad names I'd suggest we rename the other to land-shark or sea-raptor.[/QUOTE] Sea-raptor does have a nice ring to it... We can name the next predatory fish that! :v:
So many creatures on this planet share such strong social structures; I guess that having a social structure is a good survival method for many species. Dolphins have it, the great apes have it, elephants have it (I was reading up on elephant intelligence yesterday; apparently they bury their dead and look after the injured), and it seems now sharks have it. Intelligence is abound in the world, it seems all we need to do is look properly.
It's all over for us
Next they'll be using computers!
So far the only bell this is ringing for me is that Sea-based mammals are probably the most sentinent of the Animal Kingdom, plain and simple. [QUOTE]Next they'll be using computers! [/QUOTE] Your avatar easily describes your post.
[QUOTE=ironman17;34860529]So many creatures on this planet share such strong social structures; I guess that having a social structure is a good survival method for many species. Dolphins have it, the great apes have it, elephants have it (I was reading up on elephant intelligence yesterday; apparently they bury their dead and look after the injured), and it seems now sharks have it. Intelligence is abound in the world, it seems all we need to do is look properly.[/QUOTE] Elephants are evolving right under our noses, they actually are evolving to lose their tusks. The tusks are used as weapon, and to dig, but apparently they deemed human poaches too much of a threat.
[QUOTE=calebc789;34860696]So far the only bell this is ringing for me is that Sea-based mammals are probably the most [b]sentient[/b] of the Animal Kingdom, plain and simple. Your avatar easily describes your post.[/QUOTE] Ftfy. Dude sentience is just the ability to percieve and experience things subjectively, which most animals have. Some cats hate hoovers, some don't mind em, some love em and that all indicates sentience. I think what you mean is sapience, which in this type of discussion is regularly incorrectly deemed as sentience. Sapience means the animal has the ability to judge, plan and infer information, at least that's a rough definition. We're sapient as are some species of apes, monkeys, dolphins and whales, as well as corvids. [img]http://www.musikchan.com/music/src/132962006919.gif[/img]
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.