Scientists announced on Thursday that while researching marine life near Orpheus Island on the northeastern coast of Australia, they witnessed a tiger shark vomiting up a beaked urchin. In May 2022, a research team from Australia’s James Cook University (JCU) observed a medium-sized tiger shark regurgitating a still-whole, dead beaked urchin, which the university believes is “the first such evidence.” membership in the world”.
“We were quite shocked by what we saw. We really didn’t know what had happened,” marine biologist Nicolas Lubitz said in a university press release.
Lubitz says that he was able to take a photo of the moment when the shark ejects the urchin from its mouth, on which the outline of this monophyletic animal can be seen in the water.
Istraživač He says he can only offer the explanation that the 3-meter shark grabbed the urchin while it was swimming in shallow waters near the island, since it was still whole when the shark retrieved it.
“It was a completely intact snake, with all its spines and legs,” he said. “And the shark was a decent size, but still not massive. It’s very rare that they regurgitate food, but sometimes, when they’re stressed, they can.”
“In this case, I don’t think he really liked having a hedgehog in his throat,” explains Lubitz.
Tiger sharks are scavengers known for eating a wide variety of prey, including indigestible items. According to the JCU, they have been documented swallowing various objects, including car tires, license plates and even a small TV screen.