Dr. Stacy Farina (Howard University) studies evolutionary and functional morphology of sharks and other fishes. At this meeting of the NHSM Fossil Club, she will share some of her latest research.
Shark anatomy is a very active area of research, and there are still many myths and mysteries to solve. This talk will addresses the long-standing scientific mystery of whether shark teeth are “single use.” Sharks continuously replace their teeth, so how many times can they use a tooth before it starts to wear down? We will also discuss the common misconception that sharks need to continuously swim to breathe. This isn’t a mystery to scientists — we have known that sharks do not need to swim to breathe for a long time, but the myth persists in popular culture. However, our study does address the scientific mystery of “why do sharks have five gills?” We found that the sharks can “turn off” their more posterior gills when they are less active and engage all of their gills when they are more active.
Like all NHSM club meetings, this event is free and open to the public (although donations are always welcome). Please email the club coordinator (mfalk@marylandnature.org) with any questions or concerns.
Natural History Society of Maryland’s Fossil Club is a group of novice and more experienced collectors who meet to exchange knowledge, help with fossil identification, and discuss fossil locations and other fossil-related topics. Monthly meetings are held the first Wednesday of every month and are open to all.
If you are a fossil enthusiast, please consider joining (https://www.marylandnature.org/club-membership/). NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families. The Natural History Society of Maryland is a volunteer-led non-profit organization, so the fee you pay will go directly to support the programs, the nature collections, and the building that make this kind of nature education possible. Learn more about NHSM Clubs: https://youtu.be/pIA7naRjXws
