This shows that the area is a mating and gestation hot-spot for sand tiger sharks] Although cases of mating in the wild have only rarely been observed, the researchers realised that they could look at mating wounds instead.
Injuries sustained in the zones labelled 3, 4, and 5 were classified as mating wounds] The researchers looked at 'mating wounds' sustained by sand tiger sharks, a species which can grow up to three metres (10ft) in length.
While mating, male sharks will bite onto the pectoral fins or gills of females to hold them in place long enough to press their bellies together.
This allowed them to create a scale for rating the severity and freshness of mating wounds] However, larger sharks often struggle to line themselves up for long enough.
Lead author Dr Jennifer Wyffels, of the University of Delaware, told LiveScience: 'Sharks and rays use their mouths to hold and position females and therefore, mating wounds are common during the reproductive season.
