Image of the Day: Shark Skin

Fish scales follow a model famed computer scientist Alan Turing developed to describe patterns observed in other animals’ feathers, spines, and scales.

Written byAshley Yeager

| 1 min read

Save for Later

Listen with Speechify

0:00

1:00

(ABOVE: Dorsal rows in skin of a small-spotted catshark hatchling (Scyliorhinus canicula)
RORY COOPER

Patterns in young catshark skin are similar to those in chick feathers, according to a study published yesterday (November 7). The finding suggests Alan Turing’s reaction-diffusion model, which explains the autonomous development of spatial patterns, applies not only to spines, scales, and teeth in four-legged animals and to feathers in birds, as scientists thought, but also to shark and skate skin. Such patterns in the fish’s skin may have allowed it to develop protective armor or reduce drag in the water.

R.L. Cooper et al. “An ancient Turing-like patterning mechanism regulates skin denticle development in sharks,” Science Advances, 4:eaau5484, 2018.

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!

Join for free today

Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

Ashley Yeager
Ashley started at The Scientist in 2018. Before joining the staff, she worked as a freelance editor and writer, a writer at the Simons Foundation, and a web producer at Science News, among other positions. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a master’s degree in science writing from MIT. Ashley edits the Scientist to Watch and Profile sections of the magazine and writes news, features, and other stories for both online and print.
View Full Profile