Alien-like jaws in moray eels (LINK)
September 12th 2007 04:46
From National Geographic, 5 September 2007, by Sara B. McPherson:
"Much like the fearsome star of the Alien movies, moray eels have a second set of toothed jaws that drag prey into their throats, a new study has found.
"In a series of experiments, scientists at the University of California, Davis, recently discovered that moray eels possess an extremely mobile set of jaws in their throat that they can project forward into their mouth to aid in feeding.
"However, unlike the fictitious alien's second mandible, which it menacingly extended toward its prey, the eel's jaws are much more practical, said lead author and evolutionary biologist Rita Mehta.
""The [jaws] are functionally specialized to grasp large prey and assist in swallowing," Mehta said."
Continue reading here.
How cool is that? It's always pleasing to find Mother Nature hitting upon an idea before we have.
"Much like the fearsome star of the Alien movies, moray eels have a second set of toothed jaws that drag prey into their throats, a new study has found.
"In a series of experiments, scientists at the University of California, Davis, recently discovered that moray eels possess an extremely mobile set of jaws in their throat that they can project forward into their mouth to aid in feeding.
"However, unlike the fictitious alien's second mandible, which it menacingly extended toward its prey, the eel's jaws are much more practical, said lead author and evolutionary biologist Rita Mehta.
""The [jaws] are functionally specialized to grasp large prey and assist in swallowing," Mehta said."
Continue reading here.
How cool is that? It's always pleasing to find Mother Nature hitting upon an idea before we have.
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