Sharks Got Legs!

[Tuckerfan]

Newly discovered species walks.

Among the highlights of the discoveries were two types of epaulette shark, a small, spotty creature.

Growing up to 1.2m (4ft) long, they are able to “walk” along the seafloor using their muscular pectoral fins.

Sebastian Troeng, director of Regional Marine Strategies at Conservation International, said that epaulette sharks’ ability to walk enabled them to keep close to the seabed where they hunted for food, and to weave in and out of tight spaces between coral reefs.

“They are bottom-dwellers which feed on crustaceans such as crabs and snails as well as small fish, and being able to walk may give them an advantage in catching them,” he said.

"Also, they are quite small sharks and not exactly at the top of the food chain, so being able to remain at the bottom by walking helps them to keep out of the way of predators themselves.

There are also theories suggesting that these types of shark, with their ability to “walk”, are related to the first forms of marine life which made their way on to land.

You can see a pic of the shark here. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the thread title is a take off of a B.C. comic before teh suxxor took the strip over completely.

[Sam_Stone]

Great. Next they’ll be ruining our credit.

[Encinitas]

Soon, Land Sharks will be a reality!

[Johnny_L.A]

Candygram!

[ultrafilter]

Dolphins Evolve Opposable Thumbs: ‘Oh, Shit,’ Says Humanity

[Carlyjay]

@Johnny L.A.

Candygram!

Balloon-o-gram, ma’am!

[chowder]

@Sam Stone

Great. Next they’ll be ruining our credit.

Nah those are loan sharks

[Colibri]

There are also theories suggesting that these types of shark, with their ability to “walk”, are related to the first forms of marine life which made their way on to land.

They are certainly not related to the first fish that “made their way on to land.” Those were related to lobe-finned fish, and not any more closely related to sharks than other bony fish. However, recent fossil evidence does show that these fish did evolve “legs,” and the ability to “walk” along the bottom, while they were still aquatic and before they were able to come out on land.

[Landshark]

@Encinitas

Soon, Land Sharks will be a reality!

Hey there.