My research examines
the electrosensory capabilities of juvenile sandbar sharks. More
specifically, I'm interested in determining the range of electric field
stimuli that sharks can detect. To test this, I use behavioral experiments
that
allow the sharks to demonstrate their sensory capabilities (see images below).The bioassay quantifies how often sharks bite at an
experimentally manipulated electric field.Sharks
respond to these fields because they have evolved a close-range sensory system to detect
very weak electric fields generated by their natural prey.
Our experimental setup for presenting weak electric fields to juvenile sandbar sharks
Sharks biting at electric field targets during an experiment
In my experiments, captive sharks
are exposed to electric fields of various size, frequency and intensity.The biting responses of the sharks are videotaped
for analysis and quantification. Several
interesting results have been obtained to date, and will be posted here
once they are further analyzed.
