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Comparative mechanics of shark feeding behaviours as revealed by high resolution 3-D computer simulation
A project undertaken at the School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, and supervised by Dr Stephen Wroe
Understanding the relationship between structure and function in the vertebrate feeding apparatus is elemental to studies of evolution and ecology. The great white shark is the world's largest predatory fish, and this together with the fact that it is both a threatened species and an occasional threat to humans has made it the subject of considerable scientific attention. However, the relationship between form and function in the jaws of this notorious predator is poorly understood. The same can be said for most shark taxa, despite their role as apical predators in almost all marine communities. We will generate and analyse sophisticated digital models of the great white and other shark species known to prey on humans, the tiger and bull, as well as for a range of small prey specialists, including the threatened grey nurse. Central to our approach is the Finite Element (FE) method, a powerful new tool in the study of biomechanics. Application of this approach will allow us to quantitatively describe the performance boundaries of these species and identify salient differences between them. This will provide important insights into the evolution of their feeding behaviours and ecologies, as well as aiding in the design of shark-proof devices. |
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| Figure 1. Stephen Wroe with great white shark. |
| Figure 2. 3D model of a great white shark's head built from CAT scan data. |
| Figure 3. Stress distribution in a Finite Element model of a great white shark's jaws during a maximal bite. |
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