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- Title
A shortfin mako shark circling a finless porpoise with damaged caudal fin.
- Authors
Okamura, Taro; Tokunaga, Soma; Ogawa, Takaya; Yoda, Ken
- Abstract
Research on predator–prey interactions between sharks and cetaceans remain limited. Here, we report on a video of a shortfin mako shark circling a finless porpoise with a damaged caudal fin in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. The finless porpoise was neither emaciated nor inactive, but unable to swim effectively due to the complete lack of a caudal fin. Some circumstantial evidence, including a bite mark on the porpoise's head, strongly suggests that the mako shark attacked it. Furthermore, the possible time difference between the two injuries the porpoise sustained may reflect the shark's hunting tactics. While mako sharks primarily feed on small fish and cephalopods, this observation suggests they also may prey on live cetaceans more often than previously thought.
- Subjects
SHARK attacks; PORPOISES; CETACEA; LEGAL evidence; FISH feeds
- Publication
Ecology & Evolution (20457758), 2024, Vol 14, Issue 7, p1
- ISSN
2045-7758
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ece3.70024