How does a sawfish use its rostrum?
How does a sawfish use its rostrum?
This anatomical feature is used during feeding and for defense. The rostrum is slashed in a side-to-side motion to dislodge invertebrates from the substrate and to stun schooling fishes. In addition, the sawfish can use its rostrum in defense against large predators such as sharks.
What keeps the shark from rolling over?
The first dorsal fin is located on the top of a shark’s back and is used to stabilize the shark in the water. Lined with strong, flexible dorsal fibers, the first dorsal fin keeps a shark from rolling on it’s back and helps it make sharp turns while swimming fast.
What is the tip of the shark called?
The dorsal (top) side of a shark is a lighter color than the ventral (bottom) side. This coloration is a type of camouflage called counter shading. When viewed from above, the dark side of the shark blends in with the depths of the ocean.
What are spiracles on sharks?
Many sharks, especially bottom-dwelling species, have paired openings called spiracles located between the eye and the gill slits. Spiracles are used to take in water and ventilate the gills, even while the shark may be feeding or at rest on the bottom.
What does a saw shark use its nose for?
The longnose Sawshark is known to mainly prey on small crustaceans. It uses its barbels to detect prey on the ocean floor which it then hits with its snout to immobilize it. Like all other sawsharks, the common sawshark has a long snout with rows of small teeth and barbels on either side.
Is saw fish a shark?
Sawfish are part of the Rajiformes order—a group of flattened marine fish that include rays and skates—and are closely related to sharks. Two species of sawfish are found in U.S. waters: the wide or smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) and the largetooth sawfish (Pristis perotteti).
What is on the bottom of a shark?
As is the case with many bottom-dwelling sharks, nurse sharks are equipped with sensory barbels, whiskerlike appendages that project downward from their nostrils. The barbels are used to taste the bottom as the sharks look for chemical cues that indicate the presence of prey.
