Researchers from the University of Marine Biology in Hawaii published a scientific article in the journal Science, pointing out the interesting behavior of one of the species of hammerhead sharks. According to the study, Hammerhead sharks ‘hold their breath’ when diving deepto maintain body temperature. The strategy is used when animals are looking for food.
Families sphyrnides, The hammerhead shark is an animal that breathes with gills that are in direct contact with the aquatic environment. Unlike other animals such as killer whales that come to the surface to breathe, the hammerhead shark breathes through gills like most fish. Curiously, research shows that hammerhead sharks are able to actively close their gills and hold their breath, a strategy used for hunting when diving to the bottom of the sea and encountering cold waters.

Hold your breath to warm your body
According to research, the hammerhead shark closes its mouth and gill slits to keep warm when it dives into deep water. The researchers note that despite the unexpectedness of the behavior, it makes sense. After all, hammerhead shark species depend on the temperature of the surrounding water to regulate their body temperature. “It was surprising to find that sharks hold their breath to hunt like aquatic mammals. This is the extraordinary behavior of an amazing animal.‘, commented Mark Royer, lead author of the study.
Researchers discovered this phenomenon by equipping hammerhead sharks with devices to measure muscle temperature, diving depth, activity level, and body orientation. Upon analyzing the data, they realized that muscles remain warm during deep diving, indicating muscle contraction, but relax as the shark approaches the surface. Therefore, if they dive for a long time in deep water, they risk losing a lot of body heat. Breath-holding is a curious device that shows the ingenuity of the animal kingdom.
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Source: BGR, Science.
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