What sensory organ provides whale sharks with the largest eardrum recorded among all fish species?
Answer
Hearing capabilities
While olfaction is strongly implicated in long-distance food location, whale sharks also possess highly developed auditory senses. Evidence points to their exceptional hearing capabilities, which are supported structurally by them possessing the largest eardrum recorded among all species of fish. This acute sense of hearing may play a significant role in navigation and locating dense food aggregations, especially when sight and smell cues are less precise. Specifically, it is theorized that they may be able to detect and home in on the collective noise generated by large groups of small fish actively feeding on plankton patches, adding another layer to their complex method of finding sustenance across the ocean.
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