Sharks as exfoliators: widespread chafing between marine organisms suggests an unexplored ecological role
28 October 2021
Sharks as exfoliators: widespread chafing between marine organisms suggests an unexplored ecological role
Lacey H. Williams, Alexandra Anstett, Victor Bach Muñoz, John Chisholm, Chris Fallows, Jonathan R. Green, Jesús Erick Higuera Rivas, Gregory Skomal, Megan Winton, Neil Hammerschlag
ABSTRACT:
Ectosymbionts, such as bacteria and parasites, are found on the surface of organisms throughout the world’s ecosystems. Hosts have evolved a variety of mechanisms across ecosystems to rid themselves of ectoparasites or other skin irritants including chafing behavior, whereby an organism curves their body to rub the convex portion of their body along a rough surface (Eibl-Eibesfeldt 1955; Wicklund 1969; Myrberg & Gruber 1974; Wyman & Walters-Wyman 1985; Mooring et al. 2004; Papastamatiou et al. 2007; Grossman et al. 2009; Ritter 2011; Berth et al. 2017).
Ecological Society of America. DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3570