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Sharks have historically been regarded as silent creatures, depending on secrecy to capture their food and evade harm. However, sharks have now been documented producing sounds for the first occasion.
The recent recordings indicate that rig sharks (Mustelus lenticulatus) — diminutive, bottom-dwelling sharks indigenous to New Zealand — make unique clicking sounds when held by scientists in the water. According to a report released Mar. 26 in the journal Royal Society Open Science, these sounds were predictable and replicated across various specimens and were possibly connected to agony or protective behaviors.
The recordings signify the initial recognized occurrence of a shark intentionally creating sound. “Sharks possess sensing systems that are more developed than their capacity to hear, such as their electroreceptors, sense of smell, and locomotion through the water,” study principal investigator Carolin Nieder, a scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, informed Live Science. “However, I surmise that the initial belief that sound isn’t significant whatsoever is likewise probably incorrect.”
Ten young rig sharks were coincidentally perceived generating noises during standard behavioral trials at the University of Auckland’s Leigh Marine Laboratory. Whenever briefly handled by researchers in the ocean, all 10 sharks generated audible clicks.
These clicking sounds occurred frequently during the first few interactions but subsequently ceased as the experiments progressed, Nieder stated. “Possibly they no longer dreaded for their safety,” she remarked, adding that in their natural habitat, prominent clicks may function as a brief momentary disruption for young sharks to flee when grasped by predators.
Most sharks are assumed to be noiseless due to the absence of swim bladders — air-containing compartments typically employed by fish to generate sounds. MicroCT scans and 3D reconstructions of rig sharks additionally unveiled no apparent sound-producing organs or constructions.
Scientists identified the clicking sound following contact with rig sharks throughout typical behavioral studies.
The group hypothesized that the sounds might be originating from the sharks snapping their jaws.
Rig sharks possess extensive, rounded teeth arranged in densely situated, plate-like configurations, which are suitable for crushing tough-shelled prey like crustaceans. This “pavement dentition” may additionally fulfill a secondary purpose of producing sound as the jaws snap closed, the researchers indicated.
Nevertheless, Nieder mentioned that without directly watching the sharks’ jaws during click production, the mechanism is still hypothetical.
Every click endured roughly 48 milliseconds, with magnitudes occasionally exceeding 155 decibels, which is similar to a gunshot.
Approximately three-quarters of the clicks were individual bursts, whereas the remainder were brief double-clicks. The scientists perceived that approximately 70% of these clicks were coupled with composed, swaying body motions, but a few occurred without any observable movement whatsoever.
Whether the clicking is an accidental result of handling or an intentional action is still unknown.
The sharks’ auditory range is mostly beneath 1 kilohertz, considerably lower than the frequencies of its clicks, implying it’s improbable that the clicks are intended for communicating with fellow sharks.
However, several recognized predators of rig sharks, like New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri), are perceptive to elevated frequencies and might be alarmed or confused by the piercing clicks.
Numerous kinds of rays and skates — closely linked to sharks — are likewise recognized to create clicks when disrupted by divers. These noises are considered to function as alert signals or distress signals.
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Nieder communicated that subsequent investigations might concentrate on intimately associated shark species to ascertain whether they are also capable of generating sounds, and whether they produce noise in reaction to tension.
Adrian Gutteridge, a shark biologist with the IUCN Shark Specialist Group who had no involvement in the research, mentioned that additional investigation will be required to determine the function of shark clicks, and their potential implications.
“It remains too premature to discern whether it’s a reaction, essentially stating, ‘depart,’ or whether [it’s] merely their neurological system discharging which happens to cause their teeth and jaws to click,” he expressed to Live Science.
Editor’s note: This piece was initially released on March 26, 2025.
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Jacklin KwanLive Science Contributor
Jacklin Kwan is a self-employed journalist situated in the United Kingdom who primarily writes on science and technology topics. She graduated with a postgraduate degree in physics from the University of Manchester, and obtained a Gold-Standard NCTJ diploma in Multimedia Journalism in 2021. Jacklin has contributed articles for Wired UK, Current Affairs and Science for the People.
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