Embryonic Cannibalism
So, I haven't seen this here, apologies if it is a repost.
The Grey Nurse shark is not only interesting because it is one of the few sharks that bears live young and that it has two uteri, but also because these live young kill and eat each other while still in the womb.
From the wiki article:
"The species is ovoviviparous, i.e. bearing live young from eggs which hatch inside the uterus. Female sharks have two uteruses. Inside the uterus the young sharks develop and eat each other, so typically only two young sharks are born for each gestation period, which lasts 6-9 months. This process, also known as intrauterine cannibalism, is making it harder for the shark population to rebound from the near extinction. As a result, scientists plan to artificially inseminate and breed the sharks, in order to increase their population.[4] Another plan is to remove the shark embryos from the uterus before cannibalism can take place and then artificially gestate them."
And a lovely little video to eat your oatmeal to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIuMVlSWcw4
The Grey Nurse shark is not only interesting because it is one of the few sharks that bears live young and that it has two uteri, but also because these live young kill and eat each other while still in the womb.
From the wiki article:
"The species is ovoviviparous, i.e. bearing live young from eggs which hatch inside the uterus. Female sharks have two uteruses. Inside the uterus the young sharks develop and eat each other, so typically only two young sharks are born for each gestation period, which lasts 6-9 months. This process, also known as intrauterine cannibalism, is making it harder for the shark population to rebound from the near extinction. As a result, scientists plan to artificially inseminate and breed the sharks, in order to increase their population.[4] Another plan is to remove the shark embryos from the uterus before cannibalism can take place and then artificially gestate them."
And a lovely little video to eat your oatmeal to:
Click to viewhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIuMVlSWcw4