Sharks have unique anatomies adapted to their marine environments. A common question concerns their oral structure: do these creatures have a tongue? Understanding shark anatomy provides insight into their specialized feeding behaviors and overall biology.
The Direct Answer
Sharks do not possess a muscular, mobile tongue comparable to that found in mammals. Unlike human tongues, which are highly flexible and used for tasting, manipulating food, and aiding in speech, a shark’s mouth lacks such an organ. This absence is not a disadvantage; rather, it reflects their evolutionary adaptations for capturing and consuming prey in an aquatic environment. Their feeding strategies do not require the complex food manipulation that a mammalian tongue provides.
The Basihyal: Shark’s Tongue-Like Structure
While sharks lack a true tongue, they have a structure called the basihyal cartilage on the floor of their mouth. This basihyal is a thick, cartilaginous block with very limited mobility. Its primary role is to provide structural support to the mouth and pharynx.
For most shark species, the basihyal does not play a significant part in tasting or actively manipulating food. It may, however, assist minimally in pushing food toward the esophagus during swallowing. The cookiecutter shark is one exception, using its basihyal with specialized lips to help tear off chunks of prey.
Feeding Without a Traditional Tongue
Sharks feed effectively without a traditional tongue through specialized adaptations and behaviors. Their powerful jaws, lined with multiple rows of continuously replaced sharp teeth, are central to their predatory success. Sharks employ various feeding strategies, including biting, ram feeding, and suction feeding, sometimes in combination. Ram feeding involves swimming directly into prey with an open mouth to engulf it, while suction feeding creates a vacuum to draw prey into the mouth.
The entire oral and pharyngeal cavity works in coordination to capture, hold, and swallow prey. When a shark bites, its teeth puncture and grip the prey, allowing it to be swallowed whole or in large pieces. Some sharks also use their pectoral girdle muscles, similar to shoulders, to help with swallowing by creating suction. They can also move water in their mouths to assist in manipulating food. This system demonstrates that the absence of a mobile tongue is an efficient evolutionary design for their predatory aquatic lifestyle.