Comparative Brain Morphology of the Greenland and Pacific Sleeper Sharks and its Functional Implications.

ABSTRACT: In cartilaginous fishes, variability in the size of the brain and its major regions is often associated with primary habitat and/or specific behavior patterns, which may allow for predictions on the relative importance of different sensory modalities. The Greenland (Somniosus microcephalus) and Pacific sleeper (S. pacificus) sharks are the only non-lamnid shark species found in the Arctic and are among the longest living vertebrates ever described. Despite a presumed visual impairment caused by the regular presence of parasitic ocular lesions, coupled with the fact that locomotory muscle power is often depressed at cold temperatures, these sharks remain capable of capturing active prey, including pinnipeds. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), brain organization of S. microcephalus and

SUBMITTER: Yopak KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6624305 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature