Black spiny shark: A fish with an "iron" liver. In a shark, this organ makes up 17% of body weight and is able to remove heavy metals (8 photos)

If my dad knew about this fish, he would die of envy. Yes and not only him - many would like to become like a black prickly shark. And it's not about color, but about a giant liver, capable of not only neutralize alcohol - but even remove heavy metals! That's who definitely not a headache in the morning!





Compared to humans, the liver of a spiny shark is just huge - as much as 17% of the total body weight of the fish against miserable 2% we have with you. A reasonable question arises - Why do they need such a device? Shark liver does three things at once functions: supply of nutrients, buoyancy and blood filtration. The record holder lives not in the sea of ​​beer or something stronger, as Dune sings, - bad habits in fish no. Their very environment is one hell of a bad habit.



For life, black spiny sharks choose the depths of the Atlantic ocean. You can meet them at a depth of 200 to 2500 meters - from the coast of Norway to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. The concentration of heavy metals at such depths significantly exceeds the safe norms for humans. Here and fish have to filter the body from all sorts of muck in increased volume.





In addition to the liver, resist the black shark's harmful bugs the Leydig organ helps. This gland produces special cells immune systems that react to molecules containing cadmium, mercury, zinc and other compounds. In other words, these fish immunity to heavy metals.



Do you think shark features end on the liver? No matter how So! Like most deep sea creatures, spiny critters able to glow in the dark. Bioluminescence occurs through special glands - photophores located throughout body surface. They serve two purposes at once: firstly, thanks to glowing fish communicate with each other.



Secondly, the light that sharks emit makes their invisible in the depths of the sea. Very convenient when you need to hide from prey and predators. Because the sharks themselves did not come out in size - only 45 centimeters in length, then the prospect of becoming a dinner for them is oh how great. Main enemies of prickly sharks are stingrays, they even have hard scales appetite doesn't rebuff.



The number of the shark species is replenished in early spring, and the moment of fertilization, according to some studies, may be postponed until summer or even winter, since females are able to preserve the biological material of the father of future fry until moment, until well-fed auspicious times come. Pregnancy lasts long enough for such small fish - almost a year! it due to the fact that black spiny sharks are ovoviviparous, that is, mother does not spawn, but bears eggs like supposed to be under the heart.



Young growth is able to reproduce offspring every 2-3 years, and the number of cubs depends on the age and weight of the female herself. Yes, black sharks are able to bring from 6 to 20 fry at a time

.Late winter, 12 cm fry will be born. Potential young alcoholics are independent from the cradle and very voracious. They feed on krill and small fish. With age the diet expands to squid, shrimp and large fish. How the older the predators themselves become, the deeper they swim in search of food. But despite their appetites, sharks grow slowly, reaching sexual maturity up to 4 years.



Spiny sharks do not pose a threat to humans. as we are for them. Nigella commercial value do not have, and all cases of hitting the network are connected with by-catch during deep-sea fishing. meat in them small, and the catch for the sake of a fatty liver is impractical. So live black spiny sharks, and enjoy your giant liver!