Mako shark

Drag - When swimming, water sticks to your body and forms a boundary layer that causes surface drag. However, researches found that this did not happen to the Mako shark. The shark was able to move quickly through the water because of a V-pattern in its skin. The bodysuits that were developed with this pattern had less resistance than human skin. 

Elasmobranch fishes (sharks, rays, and skates) have a unique skin structure which has adapted for different species to serve various purposes. Their skin is covered with miniscule scales that are extremely similar to teeth (hard enamel outside with a pulpy inside) in which the base of each scale is embedded in the surface of the skin. These scales are known as placoid scales or denticles. Sharks (Fig. 1), in particular, have a chain of evolutionary development dating back 400 million years, with some of the youngest species of highly adapted fast-swimming sharks (e.g. the shortfin mako shark hums oxyrinchus) dating back approximately 8 million years. To meet the needs of various species, the microstructure of the denticles has adapted to serve four essential functions. The primary purpose for this bony skin is protection from predators and or prey as well as ectoparasites. A secondary purpose for most species is incorporation... 

Fig. 2. Scanning electron micrograph of the posterior margin of a shortfin mako shark scale from a 132 cm long male specimen. Crown length (along the rib direction) is about 160 microns.

Overall, it appears evident that fast-swimming sharks, such as the shortfin mako, have developed a skin for optimal boundary layer control to increase peak swimming speeds and contragiUty for pursuit of prey. The future will determine if biomimetic adaptations of the shark skin in applications including aircraft and marine vessels, among others, will lead to increased levels of boundary layer control that can decrease drag and increase maneuverability for modern technologies. 

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