Basking sharks possess a unique feeding mechanism that involves keeping their mouths continuously open while swimming forward with great speed. This creates a continuous flow of water into their mouths, which is then filtered through specialized gill rakers. The gill rakers are lined with tiny, comb-like structures that trap and filter small organisms, including plankton, small fish, and other tiny creatures, from the water passing through their mouths. These filtered food particles are then swallowed, while the excess water is expelled through their gills.
Can basking sharks close their mouth?
No, basking sharks cannot close their mouths, however they can still consume food.