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Shark | Shark Interesting Facts That May Surprise You
Sharks were discovered about 195 million years ago and belong to the superorder Selachimorpha. Sharks can be seen in almost every ocean in the world. About 100 million sharks disappear every year and most people are unaware of this.
Sharks living in the sea are threatened by overfishing by humans and so much so that some species of sharks are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
These fish are mostly not found in fresh water but some shark fishes in their species like bull shark and river shark can swim in fresh water and sea water. Interesting fact is that all shark fishes can go up to a depth of about 7000 feet in the sea.
Some shark species live at a depth of about 10,000 feet under the sea and the Portuguese dogfish has been recorded to go to a depth of about 12,100 feet under the sea. There is more interesting information about shark fish which you will read further in this article.
Where Are Shark Found
Shark fish are found in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans and reef shark fish are considered the most important part of marine life. There are 5 types of reef shark fish.
Which are known as blacktip reef shark fish, gray reef shark fish, Caribbean reef shark fish, whitetip reef shark fish and silvertip reef shark fish which can be seen in the Indian and Pacific Oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea.
All these fish cannot go deeper than 260 feet in the water and they hunt and eat crabs, lobsters, shrimp and squid. Mako shark fish are famous as bonitos and blue pointers and these fish are large sharks which are up to 10 feet. Mako shark fish are warm-blooded fish and are close relatives of the great white shark fish.
Scientific Name Of Shark
The scientific name of whale shark fish is Selachimorpha and the length of whale shark fish can be up to 40 feet. Whale shark fish has no relation with whales and each whale shark fish has its own unique pattern of spots which is just like human fingerprints.
These fish have tough skin and are covered with tooth-like scales called denticles. These fish are ovoviviparous in nature. Female bull sharks are larger in length than male bull sharks and can swim up to 19 km per hour. The scientific name of Greenland shark fish in their species is Somniosus microcephalus.
These are sub-Arctic shark fish which can be seen in the cold waters of the North Atlantic around Iceland, Greenland and Canada. These fish choose cold water between -1 C and 10 C and in summer time when there is hot weather, they go deeper into the water in search of a cold environment.
According to scientists, these fish can eat almost anything and these creatures can live for 200 years. The swimming speed of these fish is very slow and no one can consume the meat of this particular shark species because it contains very high levels of urea which smells like urine.
Habitat Of Shark
Shark fish live in the oceans and the habitat of shark fish depends on their species. Most shark fish are cold-blooded and enjoy cold water but some of their species prefer to live in warm, temperate waters.
The largest fish is known as the great white shark which is about 15 feet long and the great white shark fish got its name due to its color whose belly is white and the lower part is brown. The great white shark fish can swim in the sea at a speed of up to 60 km per hour.
Many species of sharks have excellent eyesight and have a reflective layer of tissue called tapetum behind their pupils that helps sharks see clearly even in low light. Sharks also have electroreceptor organs that help them sense electromagnetic fields and temperature changes in the water. Read- Honey Bee | Interesting facts Related To The Life Of Bee
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What Do Shark Look Like
Most of these species are not very pleasant to look at as they may look very scary. But there are some shark species that are a pleasure to watch in an aquarium.
These fish have a sleek tubular shape and are found in different colors that vary from brown to cream, gray, yellow, slate or blue. Some species have patterns with spots, bands, marbling or protrusions.
The skin of shark fish is made up of small tooth-like structures and is known as placoid scales. Due to this, the skin of these fish feels like sandpaper to touch and they have about 30,000 teeth, the structure of teeth of each species is different.
The teeth of mako shark fish are pointed and the teeth of white shark fish are triangular, serrated. A sandbar shark fish has about 35,000 teeth in its entire lifetime and they also have strong jaws that help them eat hard materials.
Size Of Shark
The size of shark fish depends on their species and most shark fish are medium sized with a length of 4.9-6.9 feet. Half of these fish species are less than 3.3 feet long.
Whale shark fish is 46 feet in length and weighs around 21,000 kg while spiny dogfish shark fish is 4 feet in length and weighs around 4.5 kg.
The weight of different shark fish varies according to their different species. Great white shark weighs around 2,270 kg and hammerhead shark fish weighs around 453 kg.
What Do Shark Eat
Shark fish species are carnivorous aquatic animals and they hunt and eat tuna, sea lions, crustaceans, mollusks and mackerel. Some of the shark fish are also considered planktivorous because shark fish like to eat plankton. Some species of shark fish also hunt birds.
How Do Shark Reproduce
These fish reproduce in two different ways, both sexually and asexually. Hammerhead sharks belong to the Sphyrnidae family and these sharks mate once a year and can give birth to 20 or 40 babies at a time.
Bonnethead Hammerhead This is a species of shark that is omnivorous in nature and prefers to eat seagrass. These fish are at risk of becoming endangered due to overfishing and demand for their fins.
The scalloped hammerhead is a species of hammerhead shark which is a coastal pelagic species and is viviparous in nature. The population of scalloped hammerhead sharks has decreased by 95% in the last 30 years in the Atlantic Ocean. Read- The World Largest Lizard Komodo Dragon Unique Facts
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How Long Do Shark Live
Sharks live for 20 to 30 years. There are 470 different species of sharks and it is believed that there are many more species of sharks in the ocean that are still unknown. The biological name of the bull shark is Carcharhinus leucas and the lifespan of this shark can be up to 16 years.
How Fast Can Shark Swim
A shark can swim at a speed of about 8 kilometres per hour, which is the same speed as the fastest Olympic swimmer.
How Do Shark Communicate
These marine sharks communicate with their vision, smell, electro-perception and body movement and they can produce sound without vocalization.
How Many Shark Are There In The World
About 470 species of sharks are found in the world but the exact population of sharks is not recorded. Apart from this, according to IUCN, sharks are in danger of becoming endangered.
A large number of sharks die due to overfishing and increasing demand for their fins. But the reason for this decline in the population of sharks is not only overfishing but another reason is climate change.
Only a few sharks in their species prefer fresh water and most of them prefer sea water but changing water temperatures have made many sharks struggle to survive in recent years. Sea water has become an uncomfortable place for them to live.
Different shark species have different conservation statuses. Different types of shark species have a wide range of statuses including near threatened, vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered.
Shark Behavior
Sharks usually do not attack and if they do attack a human it is due to confusion in the water. Sharks are afraid of their predators like great white sharks are afraid of killer whales and orcas can even kill sharks by working together.
If there are too many dolphins in one place then sharks can be afraid of them and most sharks do not look beautiful and they are the top predators of the ocean.
Sharks are also hunted by other predators and some species of sharks look more beautiful than others because of their big eyes and beautiful snout.
Shark Facts For Kids
1. How fast is a shark?
The swimming speed of a shark is 8 kilometers per hour and it is almost the same speed as the fastest Olympic swimmer.
2. What is the basic information about sharks for kids?
Sharks are fast swimming fish and their skeleton is made of cartilage instead of bone. Cartilage is an elastic tissue and it forms before bone is formed. Sharks are related to rays and are among the oldest organisms on Earth.
3. What are 5 facts about sharks?
Many species of sharks around the world are endangered, and sharks can lose more than 30,000 teeth in their lifetime. Sharks don't have cavities. Sharks have skin that resembles teeth more than scales, and sharks can give birth in different ways depending on the species.
4. What are some lines about sharks?
Like other fish, sharks are cold-blooded and have fins. These fish live in water and breathe through gills. The skeleton of shark fish is made of cartilage and the rounded and tapered body shape of the shark at both ends reduces drag.
5. What do sharks eat?
Sharks are carnivorous aquatic animals and prey on a variety of marine life including fish, crustaceans, molluscs and marine mammals. Some species are opportunistic scavengers and may even eat carrion. Their diet varies depending on the species and its size.
6. Where do sharks sleep?
Scientists speculate that some ram ventilating sharks may sleep facing ocean currents, using only half of their brain to breathe. Sharks have also been observed resting around reefs, seamounts, and in caves on sandy ocean floors.
7. How long do sharks live?
Sharks live for 20 to 30 years. There are 470 different shark species and it is believed that there are many more species of sharks that are still unknown.
8. What are sharks called?
Every shark belongs to the Chondrichthyes classification which makes them cartilaginous fish. Whose internal skeleton is made of flexible cartilage instead of bone and Chondrichthyes consists of two groups which are Holocephali and Elasmobranchii.
9. Where do sharks live?
Sharks are found in a variety of marine habitats, from coastal areas such as coral reefs to the deep sea and even polar regions. While sharks live in salt water, some species such as the bull shark and the Ganges shark can also live in fresh water.
10. How are sharks born?
These fish reproduce in two different ways, both sexually and asexually. Hammerhead sharks belong to the Sphyrnidae family and these sharks mate once a year and can give birth to 20 or 40 babies at a time.