” This is a truly interesting case of multidisciplinary research, where we can bring evidence from the ancient past to bear on marine biology, to offer the sort of insights that would not be possible through any other source. It suggests that this behavior, although it was only taped in 2011, might have been practiced by whales a very long time earlier,” lead author Dr. John McCarthy, a maritime archaeologist at Flinders University, told ZME Science.
Middle ages accounts of sea creatures might have described a peculiar trap feeding method among whales that was only documented by scientists in 2011, according to brand-new research study from Australia. The findings clarify the origins of middle ages misconceptions about sea monsters and suggest that whales have actually been using this strategy for a minimum of two millennia.
Not so brand-new after all
The trap feeding technique might have been neglected in the past since whales were not as carefully kept an eye on as they are now with drones and other contemporary innovations. Environmental modifications may likewise have led whales to embrace this method more frequently. As such, the discovery raises questions about what other ancient accounts of sea animals may reveal about whale behavior and development.
Diagram of humpback engaged in trap feeding. Credit: John McCarthy.
The trap feeding strategy includes whales opening their jaws at right angles while hugging the surface of the water, waiting on scores of fish to swim right in. The fish mistake the whales for a safe sanctuary from predators and do not recognize they are going into a trap. The technique was caught in a viral video in 2021 revealing a starving Edens whale trap feeding in the Gulf of Thailand, however its occurrence before modern innovation remained unidentified until recently.
” This research highlights that although individuals in the duration prior to the advent of contemporary science understood the world in a different framework, they were as intelligent as we are today and they described the world around them as properly as they could. Our view of the ignorance of people in the middle ages period is frequently defined by just the worst examples,” McCarthy concluded.
The findings appeared in the journal Marine Mammal Science.
Orteliuss 1658 map of Iceland showing various mythological sea creatures. Below, a detail of a sea creature identified H, the biggest of whales which might not chase fish however captured them through cunning. Credit: Public Domain.
Icelandic Physiologus (circa 1200) depiction of the Apsido feeding. Credit: Public Domain.
” Whales were first observed in the Gulf of Thailand taking part in this behavior in 2011, in this case, Brydes or Edens whales. A later report was made in 2017 in Canada on humpback whales. The appearance of the same behavior in 2 types at opposite sides of the world suggests that this might not be a new behavior, however one with deeper roots,” McCarthy stated.
The Norse manuscripts refer to a famous huge sea beast known as a “hafgufa,” which stayed part of Icelandic misconceptions till the 18th century. The bestiaries frequently describe an animal called “aspidochelone,” which shares numerous functions with the hafgufa, consisting of the capability to emit a special fragrance or fragrance that brings in fish to its mouth.
When he observed resemblances in between their descriptions and videos of trap feeding whales, McCarthy was reading about Norse sea monsters. He understood that the oldest versions of the misconceptions described a kind of whale, not a sea beast. McCarthy sought advice from coworkers who concentrate on middle ages literature, and together they discovered parallels between the Norse manuscripts and bestiaries, popular texts in the medieval period that explain fantastical and real animals.
Trap feeding is just among many examples of how marine mammals have actually evolved advanced feeding methods to adjust to their environment. Studying these strategies can help scientists better understand the complexity and diversity of life on Earth, both past and present.
Sea monsters have always populated European middle ages and renaissance creativities, whether they were fierce-toothed animals battling in the waves, long serpents twisted around ships, torturously lovely sirens, or a wide selection of chimeric beings. These mythical animals were so ingrained in medieval culture that cartographers typically drew sea beasts to captivate audiences while they offered valuable navigational info..
McCarthy was reading about Norse sea beasts when he discovered resemblances between their descriptions and videos of trap feeding whales. He realized that the earliest versions of the myths referred to a type of whale, not a sea beast. Below, a detail of a sea creature labelled H, the biggest of whales which might not go after fish but captured them through cunning.” Whales were very first observed in the Gulf of Thailand engaging in this habits in 2011, in this case, Brydes or Edens whales. The discovery raises questions about what other ancient accounts of sea creatures may expose about whale behavior and evolution.
While some whales produce ambergris, an active ingredient in perfume, the researchers believe the perfume component may have been inspired by the ejection of filtered prey by whales, which attracts more victim into the whales mouth. When middle ages people observed and recorded this habits, for many years their accounts might have been misinterpreted, leading to the development of various misconceptions about sea monsters, the researchers include.
One essential challenge the scientists bumped into when consulting such ancient texts was separating reality from fiction. As the centuries went on, initial reports of animal sightings became mistranslated and riddled with errors, particularly from the 18th century onwards. Oddly enough, the older the documents, the more accurate they were. For example, the team discovered that the descriptions from the 17th century clearly describe a large fish (whale) engaging in behavior that corresponds trap feeding.
