Question

Sharks can sense an injured fish up to 1/4 mile away by sensing blood in the water, even in very small concentrations. Even a single molecule of a component of blood can trigger a sensory response in the shark. What type of feceptor do you think the sharks are most likely using to sense the injured fish? electroreceptor G-protein coupled chemoreceptor G-protein coupled photoreceptor mechanoreceptor chemoreceptor on an ion channel (ligand-gated channel)

Answer 1

Sharks use electroreceptors called ampullae of Lorenzini to sense electric fields from injured fish, making them highly effective predators.

Step-by-step explanation:

Sharks most likely use G-protein coupled chemoreceptors to sense an injured fish up to 1/4 mile away. Sharks utilize electroreceptors in their snouts, known as ampullae of Lorenzini, to detect the electromagnetic fields produced by all living things, including injured fish. These specialized organs are highly sensitive and allow sharks to locate prey by sensing the electric impulses generated by their movements. Sharks' electroreception is among the most potent of any animal and is integral to their status as effective predators in the aquatic environment.

Answer 2

Sharks use electroreceptors known as ampullae of Lorenzini to detect electromagnetic fields from living prey, which is a more likely sensory mode in this context than chemoreception.

Step-by-step explanation:

The sharks are most likely using electroreceptors to sense the injured fish. These receptors, known as the ampullae of Lorenzini, allow sharks to detect the electromagnetic fields that all living things, including their prey, produce. This ability to sense electric fields is crucial for sharks in locating prey, especially since it can be used in environments where other sensory systems like vision might be obstructed.

The mechanism for detection of electric fields in sharks is similar to how nerve signals are produced in cells, involving the movement of ions across cell membranes that generate a nerve signal when electric fields are detected.

While some readers might think that cells sensitive to chemicals (“hemoreceptors”) could be responsible for detecting blood, in this scenario, the sensory phenomenon described is primarily related to the detection of electric fields rather than chemical trails, which makes electroreception the most likely answer.