A octopus has been seen taking a tour of an improbable marine friend: a super fast shark.
The researchers captured a video showing orange shades hook at the back From a large Mako shark to Finfin (Isurus oxyrinchus) While it swims.
This “Sharktopus” was spotted in the Gulf of Hauraki off the north coast of northern island of New Zealand during a research trip in December 2023.
“A large metallic gray dorsal fin pointed out a large shark, a shortening mako. But wait, what was this orange patch on his head? A buoy? An injury?” Rochelle Constantineprofessor of maritime biology at the University of Auckland who was on a research trip, written in a press release. “We launched the drone, put the GoPro in the water and seen something unforgettable: a octopus perched at the top of the shark’s head, clinging to his tentacles.”
The researchers were perplexed by this bizarre view, because the octopus generally live at the bottom of the ocean, while short makos spend most of their time swimming near the surface.
“We really don’t know how this octopus, who lives on the seabed, came across this 3 m (meters or 10 feet) shark (meters or 10 feet) which lives in pelagic – ocean waters. It is really a mystery – but the ocean is filled with unexpected things,” said Constantine live in an email.
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Mako Shortfin sharks are the Fastest shark species in the worldreaching peak speeds up to 46 MPH (74 km / h). They can push up to 12 feet (3.7 m) and weigh up to 1,200 pounds (545 kilograms). These sharks are known for their incredible jump capacity, which can be able to jump (6 m) out of the water. They generally hunt near the surface of the ocean but were identified as deep Like 1,640 feet (500 m). Their diet mainly consists of other rapid swimming fish such as swordfish and tuna, as well as calmars and sometimes others sharks.
The researchers watched the strange “Sharktopus” for 10 minutes before leaving the strange companions to continue their trip.
“The shark may not be disturbed by the octopus – it certainly does not seem disturbed because it has swam slowly,” said Constantine. “The octopus maintained all its tentacles together on the shark’s head, perhaps to avoid being seen, but it could stay there while the shark was swimming slowly. I suspect that the octopus would have dislodged if the shark was swimming more quickly.”
Mako Shortfin sharks are listed as Endangered on the Red List of the IUCNlargely because their fins are very popular in the shark fins trade. They are also accidentally caught in the form of accessory sockets in tuna and swords, especially with online fishing equipment. Their slow reproduction rate means that they cannot reproduce quickly enough to follow the fishing pressure, resulting in population cuts.
“One of the best things about being a marine scientist is that you never know what you might see in the sea. By supporting conservation initiatives, we can help ensure that such extraordinary moments continue to occur,” Constantine said in the press release.
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