It’s All A Croc – Looks Can Be Deceiving In The Open Water
Open water swimmers dislike all kinds of jellyfish and they rightly fear sharks and sea snakes, and some even whales if they get too close.And in others areas in the open water swimming world, open water swimmers have to be aware of orcas, leopard seals and crocodiles.
When an open water swimmer looks closely at a crocodile’s cranium, they see thick scales covering their heads.
Researchers led by evolutionary biologist Michel Milinkovitch of the University of Geneva in Switzerland, who have assumed that the deep lines in the face and jaws of crocodiles marked the boundaries between thick scales, recently found out that the lines are actually simple physical cracks on the head.
“I was really surprised by these chaotic patterns of scales when I looked closely at the crocodile’s head. There were all different sizes and different shapes. Comparing the left and the right, they were very different, and comparing different individuals, they were also very different.”
Milinkovitch found that in late embryonic development, grooves began to appear in the thick skin covering the crocodile’s head. And those cracks continue getting deeper and thicker, remaining for life.
Who knew?
Now we all do.
Copyright © 2012 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
Latest posts by Steven Munatones (see all)
