Ghost sharks grow forehead teeth to help them have sex
4 days ago
- #ghost sharks
- #evolution
- #marine biology
- Male ghost sharks have a toothy rod on their foreheads called a tenaculum, used for mating.
- The tenaculum's teeth are similar to those in the mouth, confirmed by fossils and genetic testing.
- This is the first known example of teeth growing outside the mouth in vertebrates.
- The study combines fossil evidence and modern genetic analysis to trace the evolution of these teeth.
- The discovery highlights evolutionary flexibility, repurposing structures for new uses like mating.