What is a sharks lateral line and how does it work?
The lateral line is a band of nerves running along each side of the whale shark from its head to its tail; it lies in the depression between its second and third lateral ridge. Blow steadily on the palm of your hand. Can you feel the air movement? Now wave a finger between your breath and your hand, and feel the interruptions in air movement. Just as you feel the breaks in air pressure, so the shark’s lateral line helps it detect changes in water pressure. The shark uses this sense of `distant touch’ to determine the speed, size and form of an object moving through the water.
