Cristina Zenato Instagram – Day 7 Question 7
The ampullae of Lorenzini were described in 1678 by the Italian physician Stefano Lorenzini.
These are jelly filled pores on the skin, mostly concentrated on the head of sharks, connected to nerve receptors at the base of the dermis. They are specialized organs, a modified part of the lateral line that are very sensitive to electrical fields.
Primarily, the ampullae pick up the weak electrical signals from muscular contractions and can even detect electrochemical fields emitted from paralyzed animals! That’s the reason why, sharks are believed to have the strongest electroreception of any animal on the planet.
Of course, as there are so many different species of sharks, the length and distribution of the ampullae vary significantly between species based on the role they play in their specific environment.
Image of the Ampullae on the vast hammer of Queen, Great Hammerhead; these sharks are known to detect prey hiding under the sand.
Image by @kewinlorenzen with @isotta_underwater_housings @neptunic_com | Posted on 17/May/2024 20:36:22
