Colossal Sixgill Sharks Possess a Liver That Can Weigh Hundreds of Pounds

Nearly a quarter of this shark’s body can be one giant oil-filled organ.

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Shark livers contain squalene, a low-density oil that improves buoyancy.

Sixgill sharks rely on an enormous oil-rich liver for buoyancy instead of a swim bladder, and in large individuals this organ can represent a significant percentage of total body mass. The lightweight oils help counteract the pull of gravity in deep water.

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In crushing depths where air-filled structures would implode, this massive liver acts as a biological flotation system. The organ not only aids buoyancy but also stores critical energy reserves in food-scarce environments.

A predator weighing over half a ton may carry hundreds of pounds of oil inside its body just to remain neutrally buoyant in darkness. It is an evolutionary engineering solution to a physical problem that challenges human submersibles.

Source

NOAA National Ocean Service

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