Hybrid sharks

[TransformerRobot]

First, read about this strange creature found in Australian waters:

 

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/world-first-hybrid-shark-found-off-australia-070347608.html

 

Now, after you read the article, I wish to ask this question: If there can be a hybrid Australian Black-Tip/Common Black-Tip, what other hybrid mixes can we have for sharks? Perhaps a Hammerhead Shark with a Great White Shark? What are the evolutionary advantages or disadvantages of the different interbred shark possibilities?

[Moontanman]

First, read about this strange creature found in Australian waters:

 

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/world-first-hybrid-shark-found-off-australia-070347608.html

 

Now, after you read the article, I wish to ask this question: If there can be a hybrid Australian Black-Tip/Common Black-Tip, what other hybrid mixes can we have for sharks? Perhaps a Hammerhead Shark with a Great White Shark? What are the evolutionary advantages or disadvantages of the different interbred shark possibilities?

 

 

The various blacktip sharks are rather closely related, hammer heads are very distant from great whites, I wouldn't expect them to hybridize...

[TransformerRobot]

Well they can't be that far apart genetically, can they? If you can, show me a DNA comparison between a Hammerhead and Great White, then we'll hypothesize about breeding the 2 of them together.

 

Then again, depending on how the 2 sharks behave towards each other, they might have a hard time incorporating each other's mating rituals.

[Moontanman]

Well they can't be that far apart genetically, can they? If you can, show me a DNA comparison between a Hammerhead and Great White, then we'll hypothesize about breeding the 2 of them together.

 

Then again, depending on how the 2 sharks behave towards each other, they might have a hard time incorporating each other's mating rituals.

 

 

Well then by your line of reasoning catfish should be able to hybridize with salmon, they are both fish...

[TransformerRobot]

I've got one hell of an imagination my friend. There's always the possibility, and you still haven't show me that DNA comparison. =P

[Moontanman]

I've got one hell of an imagination my friend. There's always the possibility, and you still haven't show me that DNA comparison. =P

 

 

You made the assertion, you look it up, google is your friend....

[TransformerRobot]

It's not easy to find anything on shark DNA comparisons.

[JohnB]

There is a rather interesting backstory to this particular piece. Amy Coopes has written a few different versions of the story to constantly push the "climate change" angle even after being alerted to the study leader specifically denying a link.

 

If anyone is interested in the actual press release from UQ that led to the article, it's here.

 

The bottom line is that generally accepted theories about shark breeding say that they don't interbreed much. The finding of 57 interbred sharks shows that this actually occurs far more than anyone thought and therefore challenges the consensus view, which is probably why it was thought worthy of a press release in the first place. It could be that hybrids are far more common than we thought.

 

To quote the press release; "The results of this research show that we still have a lot to learn about these important ocean predators,"

[nick1048]

"Sharks with friggin' laser beams on their heads" -Mr. Powers

 

I have a hard time seeing the hammerhead and great white creating a hybrid, but what an idea. That'd be one crazy fish!

[TransformerRobot]

Yes, it would be a good subject for a horror film.

[too-open-minded]

Can you please be the new director of shark week lol?