SCIENTISTS DISCOVER HYBRID SHARKS
According to an article recently published on Yahoo.com, researchers in Australia have apparently discovered the world's first hybrid sharks.
The Australian black-tip shark apparently mated with its global counterpart, the common black-tip. The scientists say this could be a sign of the sharks adapting to climate change.
"It's very surprising because no one's ever seen shark hybrids before, this is not a common occurrence by any stretch of the imagination," Jess Morgan, from the University of Queensland, told AFP, an Australian news agency.
"This is evolution in action."
The scientists made the find while working off Australia's east coast. Genetic testing showed certain sharks to be one species when physically they looked to be another.
The Australian black-tip is slightly smaller than its common cousin and can only live in tropical waters, but its hybrid offspring can live in cooler seas.
By mixing with the common blacktip, the species can shift its range of habitat north, expanding its feeding grounds.
Climate change and human fishing are potential triggers the scientists are investigating. More genetic mapping will also determine if this is a recent development or occurred some time ago. If the hybrid ends up being stronger than its parent species it may eventually outlast its so-called pure-bred predecessors.
