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[-] Klear@quokk.au 47 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Touch is a good option to distinguish between a jaguar and a shark in a dark room - jaguar is soft and shark is smooth. Easy. You'll never again confuse a jaguar with a shark.

[-] leftzero@lemmy.dbzer0.com 23 points 1 week ago

Shark's only smooth from front to back. Otherwise shark's sandpaper.

[-] Klear@quokk.au 12 points 1 week ago

Nope. Sharks are smooth as hell in all directions.

[-] moody@lemmings.world 14 points 1 week ago

In general, the crowns of dermal denticles have cusps pointing tailward, which is why a shark feels relatively smooth if stroked from head-to-tail but sandpapery coarse if stroked the other way.

http://www.elasmo-research.org/education/white_shark/scales.htm

[-] Zorcron@piefed.zip 8 points 1 week ago

It’s telling me that shark skin is “smooth from all directions and at all times”

[-] moody@lemmings.world 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Are you reading the same thing I'm reading? Literally every search result describes shark skin as dermal denticles, or sharp tooth-like scales aligned from front to back, "relatively smooth" in one direction, and sandpaper-like in the other.

Apparently other animals regularly get injured brushing up against them.

[-] SparroHawc@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 week ago

Well, I'm touching a shark right now. Rubbing it every which way. No direction is off limits. It's smoother than the finest silks

[-] Honytawk@feddit.nl 2 points 1 week ago

But other question, is shark wet?

[-] EddoWagt@feddit.nl 2 points 1 week ago

Presumably their skin doesn't absorb or hold water much, if at all. So shark is probably dry

[-] village604@adultswim.fan 5 points 1 week ago

No, sharks are smooth all over.

[-] Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I remember when I went to an aquarium as a kid and touched the sting rays in the touch tank. That texture has stayed in my mind ever since. I still can't find anything it compares well to.

[-] smeenz@lemmy.nz 3 points 1 week ago

I still can't find anything it compares well to.

So ... what was it like ?

[-] Mantzy81@aussie.zone 6 points 1 week ago

Like an eagle ray

[-] Timecircleline@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago

Well stingrays are closely related to sharks, and sharks are smooth so....

[-] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago

You might enjoy a shagrin couch.

this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2026
1054 points (99.3% liked)

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