At a quick glance, our skin might appear uninteresting. However, within each of us lies a hidden world! And whale sharks have a unique version...
At first glance, our skin may look boring to you. But if you take a closer look, every cell carries within them a hidden world of microbes that orchestrate intricate networks on their surface. These tiny organisms might not be visible to the naked eye, but they play a pivotal role in maintaining the health and balance of all of us – including the biggest fish in the sea.
Despite their massive size, whale sharks are generally considered gentle and harmless to humans. Famous for their massive bodies being covered in a unique pattern of white spots and lines on a dark background, these filter feeders are found in tropical and warm-temperate waters around the world. While generally solitary animals, they can occasionally be seen in groups when they form aggregations where food is especially concentrated, such as plankton blooms or spawning events.
Microbes, short for microorganisms, are tiny living organisms that are too small to be seen with our eyes without a little bit of help. Despite their small size, microbes play a crucial role in various biological processes, are essential for life on Earth, and come in a wide range of forms, from bacteria and archaea to fungi, viruses, and protozoa! These microscopic inhabitants can significantly influence the well-being of their host, too.
“Samples were collected using a two-way syringe device that circulates filtered seawater over the skin surface before being drawn into the backside of the syringe,” the authors explain in. “This process enables the sampling of microbes from submerged whale sharks, whilst minimizing seawater microbiome contamination. From each shark we took four syringes, resulting in approximately 180 ml of sample water that was then passed through a filter, trapping all microbial life on the filter.
The scientists also identified two core microbial groups, each associated with distinct ecological functions. One group specialized in breaking down essential nutrients found in the mucus secreted by the whale sharks' skin, while the other group interacted with the environment and engaged in processes like the breakdown of aromatic compounds and lipid production.
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