The dead shark hangs an 11-inch ‘blade’ on its back and washes it off the coast of Libya, which is a six-foot-long swordfish.
- A dead shark was found on a Libyan beach that had been killed by a swordfish
- 11-inch rostrum, swordfish nose, pulled back by shark
- Experts say the attack took place about three days before the body was found
- They believe the incident was an accidental collision and not a full-blown attack
Swordfish are predatory fish known to attack sharks, and a recent discovery on a Libyan beach reveals just how deadly this animal can be.
A new study describes a dead female thrasher shark found on the shores near the town of Braga, wounded by the penetration of a swordfish rostrum.
A resident spotted a lifeless shark at the edge of the beach and pulled an 11.8-inch blade from its back that is said to have punctured the shark’s heart.
Civilian scientists, who handled the gruesome scene, point out that the swordfish are about six feet long and attacked the shark three days before it washed ashore.
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A new study describes a dead female thrasher shark found on the shores near the town of Brega, who died after being wounded by the penetration of a swordfish rostrum
The study, published in the Journal of Ethiological Research, states that the rostrum swordfish belonged to Zephyas Gladius, “which is a very mobile, predatory fish known to attack sharks, whales, humans and boats.”
Such attacks have been documented since the 1960s, but recent discoveries provide the first example of how deadly a swordfish spike can actually be.
The Thrasher Shark was a little over 14 feet tall when the civic initiative ‘Marine Biology in Libya’ arrived at the scene.
No immediate clues were found as to how the shark died, but when they took a closer look, the team found a gaping hole in its back.
Civilian scientists, who handled the gruesome scene, point out that the swordfish are about six feet long and attacked the shark three days before it washed ashore.
Depending on the location of the blade, the team believes the shark, along with its gill arches, damaged nerves and arteries, the structure of which was injured on or near the branching device.
The study says, “The rostrum penetrated the shark at an acute angle of about 70 degrees towards the anterior-posterior axis, which was drawn towards the branching device, and showed that the swordfish would have been fixed to the shark’s side and pierced from behind.”
Depending on the location of the blade, the team believes the shark vertebral column was injured near or near the lumbar branch device, resulting in damage to nerves and arteries along its gill arches.
The injuries were also said to have occurred within three days of being found in the shark’s body, as the wound had not yet healed and the blood was still pink-red.
The researchers shared in the study, “Three days later the hue faded from the date of the second observation.”
‘The location of the injury, the timing of the Ghana infiltration and the lack of other obvious injuries lead us to the conclusion that mourning was fatal and the ultimate cause of death for thrasher sharks.’
The team noted that most attacks on sharks are carried out by juveniles, but the thrasher shark was an adult and about the size of a swordfish.
The team noted that most attacks on sharks are carried out by juveniles, but the thrasher shark was an adult and the same size as a swordfish.
‘The swordfish involved in the current attack were not juveniles, but were the same size as the thrasher shark and, therefore, do not sit close to its prey spectrum, which is unlikely to attack as a defensive response.’
With this in mind, the team speculates that the attack may have been accidental – both may have eaten on the same prey.
But swordfish may be the way to try to keep sharks away from food.
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