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Why can white sharks have body temperatures higher than the surrounding water?
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white shark
White shark (Carcharodon carcharias) populations are frequently centred in highly productive temperate coastal waters (that is, waters characterized by an abundance of fishes and marine mammals).
While most fish are ectothermic, or cold-blooded, white sharks possess a specialized adaptation known as regional endothermy.21
This form of warm-bloodedness is made possible by a complex circulatory system that conserves the heat generated by the contraction of their swimming muscles. By distributing this heat to critical regions of the body, the shark maintains a temperature higher than the surrounding water. This physiological advantage allows white sharks to remain active and hunt in environments that would be too cold for many other predatory shark species.21