Sharks are well-known marine predators. The species diversity of the most ancient fishes is presented unusually widely: small representatives reach 20 cm, and large ones - 20 m in length.
Common shark species
Only shark names take up more than one page. The classification distinguishes 8 orders of fish, including approximately 450 species, only three of them feed on plankton, the rest are predators. Some families are adapted to live in fresh waters.
How many types of sharks actually exists in nature, one can only guess, because sometimes individuals are found who were considered hopelessly gone into history.
Shark genus and species are grouped into orders:
Despite the diversity of predators, sharks are brought together by structural features:
They are found in the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Oceans, in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Red Seas. Dangerous species of sharks. Typical representatives:
Known for its prevalence in coastal areas, India, Japan, Australia. The name reflects the color of predators, similar to a tiger pattern. Transverse stripes on a gray background persist until the shark grows over 2 meters long, then they turn pale.
The maximum size is up to 5.5 meters. Greedy predators swallow even inedible objects. They themselves are a commercial object - the liver, skin, and fins of fish are valued. Sharks are very prolific: up to 80 live-born cubs appear in one litter.
It lives in warm waters of the oceans. The record length of a giant individual was recorded at 6.1 m. The weight of large representatives is up to 500 kg. Shark appearance unusual, massive. The dorsal fin looks like a sickle. Ahead "hammer" is almost straight. Favorite prey - poisonous rays, seahorses. They bring offspring every two years, 50-55 newborns. Dangerous for humans.
Hammerhead shark
Body length is 2.5-3.5 m. Weight is about 350 kg. Color includes different shades of grayish-blue tones with a metallic sheen. The scales are very small. Since ancient times, the streamlined body of a fish has terrified the depths of the sea.
The image of a cruel hunter is associated with stories of attacks on divers. They live everywhere in waters with warm water up to 23 ° C.
silky shark
A species of gray shark known for being the most aggressive. The maximum length is 4 m. Other names: bull shark, tub head. More than half of all human victims are attributed to this predator. It lives in the coastal regions of Africa, India.
The peculiarity of the bovine species is in the osmoregulation of the body, i.e. adaptation to fresh water. The appearance of a blunt-nosed shark at the mouths of rivers flowing into the sea is a common thing.
The blunt shark and its sharp teeth
The most common variety. Average length up to 3.8 m, weight over 200 kg. It got its name from the color of its slender body. The shark is dangerous to humans. It can approach the coast, go to great depths. Migrates across the Atlantic.
blue shark foraging
Typical benthic inhabitants of medium size. Many species are called bulls, which creates confusion with dangerous gray individuals, which are called bulls. The squad has rare species of sharks, not dangerous to humans.
It lives in shallow water off the coast of Japan, China,. narrow lanes Brown on a light background resemble a zebra pattern. Blunt short snout. It poses no danger to humans.
zebra shark
A rare species that lives off the Australian coast. The skin is covered with coarse teeth. Unusual color of dark spots on a light brownish background. The length of individuals is on average 1 m. It feeds on sea urchins and small organisms. It has no commercial value.
The length of the fish is only 50-60 cm. The red-brown body is strewn with white spots. An understudied look. Feeds on crustaceans. It lives on the coasts of Mozambique, Somalia, Yemen.
The detachment has existed for hundreds of millions of years. An unusual number of gill slits and a special shape of teeth distinguish the patriarchs of the shark tribe. They live in deep water.
A slender body of ashy color with a narrow head. The fish has a small size, up to 100-120 cm long. It shows an aggressive character. After catching, it tries to bite the offender.
The length of the flexible elongated body is about 1.5-2 m. The ability to bend resembles a snake. The color is grey-brown. The gill membranes form leather pouches that look like a raincoat. A dangerous predator with roots from the Cretaceous period. The shark is called a living fossil for lack of evidence of evolution. The second name is obtained for the numerous folds on the skin.
The shape of a torpedo and a powerful tail allow you to swim quickly. Large-sized individuals are of commercial importance. Sharks are dangerous to humans.
Distinctive feature species consists in an elongated upper lobe of the caudal fin. Used as a whip to stun prey. Cylindrical body, 3-4 m long, adapted to high-speed movement.
Some species of sea foxes filter plankton and are not predators. Due to the taste of meat, they have commercial value.
Giants, more than 15 m long, are second in size after whale sharks. The coloration is gray-brown with speckles. It lives in all temperate waters of the oceans. They do not pose a danger to people. Feeds on plankton.
The peculiarity of the behavior is that the shark constantly keeps its mouth open, filters 2000 tons of water per hour in motion.
Inhabitants of the depths and explorers of the coastal zones at the same time. You can recognize the variety by the upturned nose, the frightening appearance of a massive body. They are found in many tropical and cool seas.
The average length of the fish is 3.7 m. In general, sand sharks, safe for humans, are confused with gray predators known for aggression.
There are short-finned varieties and long-finned relatives. In addition to the Arctic, the predator lives in all other oceans. Below 150 m deep does not fall. Average sizes reach 4 m in length with a weight of 450 kg.
Despite the fact that many extant shark species dangerous, the blue-gray predator is an unrivaled deadly weapon. It develops colossal speed in pursuit of flocks of mackerel, shoals, sometimes they jump out over the water.
Accidental harvesting of an unknown fish at the end of the 19th century, approximately 1 m long, led scientists to discover: extinct species of shark Scapanorhynchus, which was attributed to the existence of 100 million years ago, is alive! An unusual snout above the head makes it look like a shark. An alien from the past was found again several times after almost 100 years. Very rare inhabitants.
The peculiarity of the detachment is in unusually smooth and rounded forms of predators among relatives. Different types of sharks motley coloration and bizarre outgrowths on the body bring together. Many representatives lead a bottom lifestyle.
An amazing giant up to 20 meters long. They are found in reservoirs of tropical zones, subtropics. They do not tolerate cold water well. A beautiful harmless predator, whose food is mollusks and crayfish. Divers can pat him on the back.
Striking grace, unique appearance. Small eyes on a flattened head hide in a skin fold in case of danger. Small teeth are arranged in 300 rows, their total number is approximately 15,000 pieces. They lead a solitary life, rarely united in small groups.
In a strange creature, it is difficult to recognize a relative of ocean predators that terrify all aquatic inhabitants. The aerobatics of disguise is in a flat body covered with some kind of tatters.
It is very difficult to recognize fins, eyes. Sharks are often referred to as mustachioed and bearded for the fringe around the contour of their head. Due to their unusual appearance, bottom sharks often become pets of public aquariums.
The spotted color is very reminiscent of a leopard to a large extent, but no one will change the fixed name. The leopard shark is often found in warm sea waters, up to 60 meters deep along coastlines. The beauty often gets into the lenses of underwater photographers.
Zebra shark on the a photo reflects an atypical representative of his tribe. Smoothed lines of fins and body, rounded head, leathery protrusions along the body, yellow-brown color create a spectacular appearance. Shows no aggression towards humans.
A distinctive feature of the representatives of the detachment is in a jagged outgrowth on the snout, similar to a saw, a pair of long antennae. The main function of the body is the search for food. They literally plow the bottom soil if they feel prey.
In case of danger, they swing a saw, inflicting wounds on the enemy with sharp teeth. The average length of an individual is 1.5 m. Sharks live in warm ocean waters, off the coasts of South Africa, Japan, and Australia.
The length of the sawtooth outgrowth is approximately 23-24% of the length of the fish. The usual "saw" of relatives reaches a third of the total body length. The color is gray-blue, the belly is light. With side impacts of saw sharks, they injure their victims in order to then eat them. Leads a solitary life.
There is information about the capture of dwarf (body length less than 60 cm) sawfish, but scientific description is absent. shark species very small sizes are rare. Like relatives, they lead a bottom life on silty-sandy soil.
Representatives of the detachment live almost everywhere in all sea and ocean waters. Spines have been hidden in the fins of katra-shaped fish since ancient times. There are spikes on the back and skin, which are easy to hurt.
None of them are dangerous to humans. The peculiarity of fish is that they are saturated with mercury, so eating prickly sharks is not recommended.
Types of sharks in the Black Sea include katranovy representatives, the indigenous inhabitants of this reservoir.
It lives at a depth of up to 400 m. The body is dense, spindle-shaped. The head is pointed. The color is light brown. Shy fish are harmless to humans. You can only get hurt on spikes and a hard skin.
Massive fish body characteristic form iloglots. Lives at great depths. Little studied. Rare specimens of short-spined sharks have been caught in deep-sea catches.
A common type of fish at a depth of 200-600 m. The name appeared due to the original form, similar to sandpaper. Sharks are not aggressive. Maximum dimensions reach 26-27 cm. The color is black-brown. There is no commercial value due to the difficult prey and the small size of the fish.
The shape of the predator resembles a stingray. The length of typical representatives of the detachment is about 2 m. They are active at night, during the day they burrow into the silt and sleep. They feed on benthic organisms. Squatinous sharks are not aggressive, but react to the provocative actions of bathers and divers.
Squatins are called sand devils for their way of hunting from an ambush with a sudden throw. Prey is sucked into a toothy mouth.
The oldest creatures of nature, living in the ocean for 400 million years, are many-sided and diverse. A person studies the world of sharks like a fascinating book with historical characters.
Characteristic features of which are the presence of a skeleton consisting entirely of cartilaginous tissues, pectoral fins not connected to the head, and from five to seven gill slits. Modern sharks are a superorder (chondrichthyes) and are part of the sister group in relation to rays.
However, extinct species of the subclass of cartilaginous fish or wholeheads are also called sharks, for example, eugeneodonts. Thus, the earliest known sharks appeared more than 420 million years ago. It is noteworthy that and acanthodes often referred to as spiny sharks, although they are in the class of bony fish and not cartilaginous.
More than 500 species of sharks are known today.. They range from the deep-sea pygmy black shark (17-20 centimeters long) to the world's largest fish, the whale shark (12-20 meters). Shark habitat covers all seas. They feel comfortable at depths up to 2000 meters. Sharks generally do not live in fresh water, but there are exceptions such as gray bull sharks and freshwater gray sharks.
Well-known species such as the great white shark, tiger shark, blue shark and hammerhead shark are apex predators, meaning they are at the top of the underwater food chain. Today, however, many species of sharks (about 25 percent) are threatened with extinction due to human activities.
The largest fish in the world is the whale shark. Its length from the tip of the tail to the mouth can reach 20 meters. Such a fish weighs up to 34 tons, while the whale shark is a meek creature that feeds exclusively on plankton. But sharks such as mako or hammerhead fish are one of the most dangerous marine predators.
Sharks don't have bones. Why? Because sharks have a cartilaginous skeleton. Cartilage is more flexible and dense than bone. Sharks have very rough skin that feels like sandpaper. Another difference from bony fish is the lack of a swim bladder in sharks, which helps fish stay afloat without moving.
The shark is a formidable predator that lives in the waters of the world's oceans. Its real appearance was formed back in the Jurassic period, when dinosaurs still lived on Earth. That is, one can only imagine how ancient this mysterious creature is. The most interesting and common types of sharks will be discussed in detail below.
Science refers these formidable marine predators to the class of cartilaginous fish, the chordate type and the so-called "shark" superorder. The very name "shark" came to the Russian language from Scandinavia in ancient times, when the Vikings called the fish as a whole with the word Hakall. They mostly live in salt water, but there are some species that live quietly in fresh water.
Characteristics appearance and buildings are as follows:
By the way, shark skin scales are very dense and durable. Many scientists say that they are not inferior in strength to the teeth of this water predator.
Like any other fish, the shark has gills, they are located in front of the pectoral fins. These predators have very low blood pressure, so they have to be on the move all the time to keep their blood flowing. However, some species of these predators can feel great lying on the bottom of the reservoir and pumping water through the gills.
What distinguishes the shark from all other fish is the lack of a swim bladder. It is replaced by a huge liver, which occupies 1/3 of the entire body weight of this predator. In addition, fins and low cartilage density are responsible for buoyancy here.
The situation with the digestive system of these predators is interesting. Her stomach is very elastic, thanks to which she can absorb a large amount of food, but at the same time, enough gastric juice is not secreted in it for digestion, and then the predator does the following: she turns his stomach inside out and get rid of excess food. The stomach itself does not suffer at all from such actions.
The vigilance of sharks exceeds the human by 10 times, and with the inner ear they are able to pick up infrasounds and low purity.
The sense of smell is also very developed in these predators: they smell not only in water, but also in the air. They smell blood very sharply, moreover, if there is very little of this very blood. The ratio is 1:1000000, which is equivalent to a teaspoon of blood diluted in a pool.
The shark swims quite slowly - only about 5-8 km / h. But if the predator pursues prey, then its speed can develop up to 20 km / h. And warm-blooded species (white or mako) are able to swim at a speed of 50 km / h.
The life expectancy of these predators depends on the species: some species live for about 30 years, while others (for example, whale, polar, and sand katrans) can live for more than 100 years.
All types of sharks have very sharp, cone-shaped teeth, and the structure of the jaw itself will depend on the specific species. In general, this predator is able to easily bite through the flesh of its prey. For example, a class like gray sharks, has flat triangular teeth, with which it easily tears the meat of prey.
Such kind as whale shark, feeds on plankton, so the size of its teeth does not exceed 5 mm, however, their number can reach several thousand. BUT horned shark it feeds on bottom food, therefore the structure of its jaw is completely different: the front teeth are small, and the back teeth are large, with which it crushes food.
All types of these predators have a different number of teeth:
These formidable predators live throughout the world's oceans, that is, they can be found in the waters of any sea, any ocean. Basically, they prefer to live in equatorial and near-equatorial waters, in coastal waters, as well as in reefs.
By the way, blunt and gray sharks they feel good not only in salty, but also in fresh water, so they often swim in rivers.
The maximum depth to which a predator can swim is about 2000 m, but sometimes they can go down to 3000 m.
Food here also depends on the habitat, but mainly these predatory fish feed on plankton and other fish species, and those that live on the bottom eat crabs and other crustaceans. If considered in more detail, then food is the following:
As mentioned earlier, the world knows a large number of species of these marine predators, which are divided into 8 orders, implying about 450 species. About what sharks are, it will be said below:
The main feature of these predators is a very long puberty: the female can give birth only to the 10th year of life, and some species even at 30-40 years of age.
Depending on the species, these predators bring offspring in different ways:
The incubation period also lasts depending on the species: from several months to 2 years.
These predatory fish lay on average from 2 to 12 eggs, covered with two shells: the first protein, and the second - horn-like, protective. When a baby shark hatches, it immediately begins to live an independent life without the participation of its mother.
An interesting fact: scientists have repeatedly noted cases of parthenogenesis in sharks living in captivity: they could be fertilized without the participation of a male.
The situation is different for ovoviviparous: first, the cubs hatch in the womb and live there for some time, feeding on unfertilized eggs and each other, as a result, one of the hardiest cubs (less often two) is born.
Most often, sharks attack people in the waters of the oceans. The largest number of such cases is recorded off the coast of the United States, Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. African countries such as Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania are considered very dangerous areas.
Many believe that the shark is the most terrible water monster that attacks a person at any opportunity. In fact, all these speculations are greatly exaggerated under the influence of science fiction films: out of all the 450 types available only 4 of them are dangerous to humans:
By the way, the opinion that a shark loves human meat is nothing but another myth. Undoubtedly, such a predator of the 4 species listed above can attack, but after biting off a little human flesh, it will spit it out, since there is no benefit from an energy point of view in such a "food".
The shark is one of the most ancient representatives of the fauna of the planet. In addition, these inhabitants of the water depths are poorly understood and have always been considered mysterious creatures. About such insidious, daring and unpredictable in their behavior predators, people have come up with many myths, which also gave rise to enough prejudices.
About sharks on all continents at all times, a huge number of stories spread, frightening with cruel details. And such stories about bloody attacks on people and other living beings are not at all without foundation.
But despite all their terrible properties, these creatures of nature, classified by scientists as the type of chordates and the Selachian order, are extremely curious in structure and behavior, and have many interesting features.
These are not aquatic mammals, as some believe, they belong to the class of cartilaginous fish, although this is sometimes hard to believe. Most of them live in salty waters. But there are, although rare, freshwater inhabitants.
For sharks, zoologists assign a whole suborder of the same name with the name of these creatures. It is distinguished by a huge variety of its representatives. How many types of sharks found in nature? The figure is impressive, because there are neither few nor many, but about 500 varieties or even more. And they all stand out for their individual and remarkable features.
The variety of features of the shark tribe primarily emphasize the size of these creatures. They vary in the most impressive way. The average representatives of this suborder of aquatic predators are comparable in size to a dolphin. There are also extremely small deep-sea shark species, whose length is only no more than 17 cm. But giants also stand out.
Whale shark
The latter include the whale shark, the largest representative of this tribe. Some multi-ton specimens reach 20 meters. Such giants, almost unexplored until the 19th century and encountered only occasionally by sea vessels in tropical waters, gave the impression of monsters with their fantastic size. But the fears of these creatures were highly exaggerated.
As it turned out later, such sedentary giants cannot pose a danger to people. And although they have several thousand teeth in their mouths, they are not at all similar in structure to the fangs of predators.
These devices are something like a dense lattice, reliable constipation for small plankton, which these creatures feed on exclusively. With such teeth it holds its prey in its mouth. And she catches every ocean trifle by straining it out of the water with a special apparatus, available between the gill arches, the apparatus - cartilaginous plates.
The coloring of the whale shark is very interesting. The general background is dark gray with a bluish or brown tint, and is complemented by a pattern of rows of large white spots on the back and sides, as well as smaller dots on the pectoral fins and head.
The type of nutrition just described is also possessed by other representatives of the tribe of interest to us ( types of sharks in the photo allow you to consider their external features). These include largemouth and giant sharks.
giant shark
The last of them is the second largest among its relatives. Its length in the largest specimens reaches 15 m. And the mass of such impressive predatory fish in some cases reaches 4 tons, although such a weight in giant sharks is considered a record.
Unlike the previous species, this aquatic creature, while obtaining food for itself, does not suck in water with its contents at all. The giant shark simply opens its mouth wide and furrows the elements, catching and filtering what gets into its mouth. But the diet of such creatures is still the same - small plankton.
The coloring of these creatures is modest - brown-gray, marked with a light pattern. They live alone and in flocks mainly in temperate waters. If we talk about danger, then man, with his crafts, caused much more harm to such sharks than they did - in fact, harmless creatures caused him trouble.
These curious creatures were discovered quite recently, less than half a century ago. They are found in warm ocean waters, in some cases swimming in temperate areas. The color tone of their body is brown-black above, much lighter below. The large-mouthed shark is not a small creature, but still not as large as the previous two specimens, and the length of these representatives of aquatic fauna is less than 5 m.
largemouth shark
The muzzle of these creatures is very impressive, rounded and wide, a huge, almost one and a half meter long mouth stands out on it. However, the teeth in the mouth are small, and the type of food is very similar to the giant shark, with the only interesting feature being that the large-mouthed representative of the predatory tribe has special glands that tend to secrete phosphorites. They glow around the mouths of these creatures, attracting jellyfish and small fish. This is how a large-mouthed predator lures prey in order to get enough.
However, as you might guess, not all specimens from the suborder of sharks are so harmless. After all, it is not for nothing that these aquatic predators have inspired terror in man since ancient times. Therefore, special mention must be made dangerous shark species. A striking example of the bloodthirstiness of this tribe is the white shark, also called the "white death" or in another way: a cannibal shark, which only confirms its terrible properties.
The biological life span of such creatures is no less than that of humans. The largest specimens of such predators are over 6 m long and weigh almost two tons. In shape, the body of the described creatures resembles a torpedo, the colors on top are brown, gray or even green, which serves as a good disguise during attacks.
White shark
The belly is much lighter in tone than the back, for which the shark got its nickname. The predator, unexpectedly appearing in front of the victim from the ocean depths, previously invisible above the water because of the background of the upper body, only in the very last seconds shows the whiteness of the bottom. With its surprise, this introduces the enemy into shock.
The predator has, without exaggeration, a brutal sense of smell, other highly developed sense organs, and her head is endowed with the ability to pick up electrical impulses. Its huge toothy mouth inspires panic, fur seals, seals, even whales. It also struck fear into the human race. And you can meet such talented in hunting, but bloodthirsty creatures in all the oceans of the world, with the exception of the waters of the North.
Tiger sharks prefer warm tropical climes, meeting in equatorial waters all over the world. They stay close to the shore and like to roam from place to place. Scientists argue that since ancient times, these representatives of the aquatic fauna have not undergone cardinal changes.
The length of such creatures is about 4 m. Only young individuals stand out with tiger stripes against a greenish background. More mature sharks are usually just grey. Such creatures have a large head, a huge mouth, their teeth have razor sharpness. The speed of movement in the water of such predators is provided by a streamlined body. And the dorsal fin helps to write complex pirouettes.
Tiger shark
These creatures pose an extreme danger to humans, and their jagged teeth allow them to tear human bodies apart in an instant. It is curious that in the stomachs of such creatures objects are often found that cannot be called tasty and edible at all.
It can be bottles, cans, shoes, other rubbish, even car tires and explosives. From which it becomes clear that such sharks have a habit of swallowing anything.
It is extremely interesting that nature rewarded them with the ability to get rid of otherworldly objects in the womb. They have the ability to rinse its contents through the mouth, simply by turning the stomach.
Listing shark species names, who do not disdain human flesh, one should definitely mention the bull shark. The horror of meeting with such a carnivorous creature can be experienced in any of the oceans in the world, except perhaps the Arctic Ocean.
bull shark
In addition, there is a possibility that these predators will visit fresh waters as well, because such an element is quite suitable for their life. There are cases when bull sharks met and even lived permanently in the rivers of Illinois, in the Amazon, in the Ganges, in the Zambezi or in Lake Michigan.
The length of predators is usually about 3 m or more. They attack their victims swiftly, leaving them no chance of salvation. Such sharks are also called blunt-nosed. And it's a very apt name. And when attacked, they may well inflict a severe blow with their blunt muzzle on the victim.
And if we add sharp jagged teeth, then the portrait of an aggressive predator will be completely supplemented with the most terrible details. The body of such creatures is spindle-shaped, the body is stocky, the eyes are round and small.
The waters of the Black Sea are not particularly attractive for bloodthirsty sharks. The reasons are the isolation and densely populated coasts, the saturation of the water area various types maritime transport. However, there is nothing particularly sad in this for a person, given the extreme danger of such creatures.
shark katran
But this does not mean that the representatives of the described tribe are not found at all in such parts. Listing shark species in the black sea, first of all, it should be called a katran. These creatures are only about a meter in size, but in some cases, though, they can boast of a two-meter size. They live for about 20 years.
Such sharks are also called prickly spotted. The first of the epithets they are awarded for the rather sharp spikes located on the dorsal fins, and the second for the light spots on the sides. The main background of the back of such creatures is gray-brown, the belly is white.
In a bizarre shape, they look more like an elongated fish than a shark. Catrans feed mainly on small-sized aquatic inhabitants, but with a large accumulation of their own kind, they may well decide to attack dolphins and even humans.
There is a cat shark in the coastal waters of the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean Sea. In the Black Sea waters, these predators come across, but rarely. Their dimensions are quite small, about 70 cm. They do not tolerate the expanse of the ocean element, but mostly spin around the coast and at a shallow depth.
cat shark
The color of such creatures is interesting and impressive. The back and sides have a dark sandy shade, full of dark small spots. And the skin of such creatures is amazing, it feels like sandpaper to the touch. Such sharks deserve their name for their flexible, graceful and long body.
The habits of such creatures also resemble cats. Their movements are graceful, during the day they doze, and they walk at night and perfectly orient themselves in the dark. Their diet is usually made up of fish and other medium-sized aquatic inhabitants. For humans, such sharks are completely harmless. However, people eat, sometimes even with great pleasure, this variety of sharks, as well as the meat of the katran.
Scientists believe that sharks lived on Earth about four million centuries ago, so these creatures are ancient. Therefore, when describing such predators, one should also mention their ancestors. Unfortunately, it is not possible to find out unequivocally: what they looked like now.
And their appearance is judged only by the fossilized remains and other traces of the vital activity of such prehistoric living creatures. Among such finds, one of the most remarkable is the perfectly preserved body print of a representative an extinct species of shark left on the shale hills. Such ancient progenitors of present-day life forms are called cladoselachians.
Extinct shark species Cladoselachia
The creature that left the imprint, as can be judged by the size of the footprint and other signs, turned out to be not particularly large, only 2 m long. A torpedo-like streamlined shape helped it move quickly in the water element. However, in the speed of movement of modern varieties, such a fossil creature was obviously still inferior.
It had two dorsal fins equipped with spikes, a tail in many ways similar to the current generation of sharks. The eyes of the ancient creatures were large and keen. It seems that they ate only water trifles. And larger creatures were ranked among their worst enemies and rivals.
Baby sharks were found in the waters only in the second half of the last century caribbean. And only two decades after the discovery of this type of sharks, they received their name: ethmopterus perry. A similar name was given to dwarf creatures in honor of the famous biologist who studied them.
And up until today, existing species sharks smaller living creatures in the world have not been found. The length of these babies does not exceed 17 cm, and the females are even smaller. They belong to the family of deep-sea sharks, and the size of such creatures in general is never more than 90 cm.
pygmy shark
Etmopterus perry, living at great depths of sea waters, for the same reason, has been studied very little. They are known to be ovoviviparous. Their body is elongated, their outfit is dark brown, marked with stripes on the belly and back. The eyes of babies have the property of seabed emit greenish light.
Describing different types sharks, it would be nice not to disregard the freshwater inhabitants of this suborder. It was already mentioned earlier that these aquatic predators, even living constantly in the oceans and seas, often visit lakes, bays and rivers, swimming there only for a while, spending the main part of their lives in a salty environment. A prime example of this is the bull shark.
But the sciences also know such varieties that are born, constantly live and die in fresh waters. Although this is rare. On the American continent, there is only one place where such sharks live. This is a large lake in Nicaragua, located in the state of the same name with its name, not far from the Pacific waters.
freshwater shark
These predators are very dangerous. They grow up to 3 m, attack dogs and people. Some time ago, the local population, the Indians, had a custom to bury their fellow tribesmen in the waters of the lake, thereby giving the dead to feed on carnivorous predators.
Freshwater sharks are also found in Australia and parts of Asia. They are distinguished by a broad head, stocky body and short snout. Their upper background is gray-blue; the bottom, like most relatives, is much lighter.
The family of gray sharks from the entire shark tribe is the most common and numerous. It has a dozen genera, including a huge number of species. Representatives of this family are also called saw-toothed, which in itself speaks of their danger as predators. These include the blacknose shark.
This creature is small in size (formed individuals reach about a meter in length), but it is for this reason that they are incredibly mobile. Blacknose sharks are inhabitants of the salty element that prey on cephalopods, but primarily on bony fish.
blacknose shark
Their prey are anchovy, sea bass and other fish of this type, as well as squid and octopus. These sharks are so agile that they can easily intercept dinner from even larger relatives with dexterity. However, they themselves may well become their victims.
The body of the described creatures, like most members of their family, is streamlined. Their snout is rounded and elongated. Their developed teeth are serrated, which helps blacknose sharks to deal with prey.
These sharp devices in the mouth have the shape of an oblique triangle. Placoid scales of a special structure, more characteristic of fossil specimens, cover the body of these representatives of the ocean fauna.
Their color can be judged from the name of the family. Sometimes their color is not pure gray, but stands out with a brown or greenish-yellow tint. The reason for the name of the species of these creatures was a characteristic detail - a black spot at the tip of the snout. But this mark usually adorns the appearance of only young sharks.
Such predators are found off the coast of the American continent, as a rule, living in salty waters washing its eastern part. The family of gray sharks has earned a reputation as cannibals, but it is this species that usually does not attack humans. However, experts still advise to be more careful with such dangerous animals. If you show aggression, then you can easily run into trouble.
Such creatures also represent the family of gray sharks, but dominates its other varieties. The whitetip shark is a powerful predator that will be more dangerous than blacknose relatives. He is extremely aggressive, and in the competition for prey, he usually outperforms his family brethren.
In size, representatives of this species can reach three meters in length, so small sharks can easily fall into the number of victims of whitetip teasers if they are not careful.
whitetip shark
The described creatures inhabit the waters Atlantic Ocean, but are also found in the Pacific and Indian. Their color, according to the name of the family, is gray, but with a blue cast bronze, the belly of this species is white.
It is not safe for a person to meet such creatures. It is not uncommon for these daring creatures to chase divers. And although no deaths have been recorded, aggressive predators are quite capable of tearing off a leg or arm of a representative of the human race.
However, the man himself gives whitetip sharks no less, and even much more anxiety. And people's interest in them is explained simply: it's all about the delicious meat of these representatives of the fauna.
In addition, the skin, fins and other parts of their body are valued, because all this is used in industrial production. Predatory fishing has caused a threatening decline in the number of such sharks in the waters of the oceans.
This type is another instance from the already mentioned family. Such sharks are also called Indo-Pacific, which indicates their habitat. Blacktip sharks prefer warm waters and often swim near reefs, in channels and lagoons.
darktip shark
Often they join in flocks. The "hunched" posture they like to adopt is a testament to their aggressive streak. But by nature they are curious, so they often feel not fear or a desire to pounce on a person, but simple interest. But when pursued by people, they are still capable of attacking. They hunt at night, and eat about the same as their relatives in the family.
The size of such creatures is about 2 m. Their snout is round, the body has the shape of a torpedo, the eyes are rather large and round. The gray color of their back can vary from light to dark, the caudal fin is distinguished by a black border.
Describing gray sharks, one cannot fail to mention their narrow-toothed counterpart. Unlike other relatives from the family, which are pampered, thermophilic and tend to live closer to the tropics, these sharks are found in waters of temperate latitudes.
The forms of such creatures are quite peculiar. Their body is distinguished by harmony, the profile is arched, the muzzle is pointed and long. The color varies from gray-olive to bronze with the addition of pink tones or a metallic hue. Belly, as usual, noticeably whiter.
narrow-toothed shark
By nature, these creatures are active and fast. Large flocks are usually not created, they swim alone or in a small company. And despite a significant three-meter or more length, they can often become victims of larger sharks. This variety is relatively peaceful, in relation to humans as well. Its members are viviparous, like the rest of the members of this family.
Deserved its name for the yellowish-brown body color, sometimes with the addition of pink tones and, of course, gray, because despite the original coloring, the shark still belongs to the same family. These creatures are rather big and reach a length of about three and a half meters with a weight of 180 kg.
Most often they are found in the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. They prefer nocturnal activity, often spinning near reefs and catch the eye in shallow bays. The young usually hide from the older generation of such sharks, uniting in flocks, because when they meet, they may well run into trouble, however, as well as become prey to other predators.
lemon shark
As food, these creatures eat fish and shellfish, but water birds are also among their frequent victims. Childbearing age in representatives of the species, also related to the type of viviparous, occurs after 12 years. Such sharks are aggressive enough to give a reason for a person to be very afraid of them.
It has a flat wide head and a thin body so that with a body length of about one and a half meters, it weighs only about 20 kg. The color of the back of these creatures can be brown or dark gray, in some cases with spots that stand out on it.
This species belongs to the genus of the same name from the family of gray sharks, where it is the only species. Representatives of the genus of reef sharks, according to their name, are found in coral reefs, as well as in lagoons and in sandy shallow waters. Their habitat is the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
reef shark
These creatures are often united in groups whose members prefer to sit out in secluded places during the daytime. They may climb into caves or huddle under natural eaves. They feed on fish that live among corals, as well as crabs, lobsters and octopuses.
Larger representatives of the shark tribe may well feast on the reef shark. Often they become victims of other salt water hunters, even large predatory fish are even able to feast on them. These creatures treat a person with curiosity, and with adequate behavior on his part, they usually turn out to be quite peaceful.
The family of big-eyed sharks has earned itself such a scientific nickname because its members have significant oval-shaped eyes. This family includes about four genera. One of them is called: striped sharks, and is divided into several varieties. The first of these species to be described here is the yellowstripe shark.
yellowstripe shark
These creatures are insignificant in size, usually no more than 130 cm. The main background of their body is bronze or light gray, on which yellow stripes stand out. Such a shark chooses the waters of the eastern Atlantic for its life activity.
These creatures can often be observed off the coast of countries such as Namibia, Morocco, Angola. Their diet is mainly composed of cephalopods, as well as bony fish. This species of sharks is completely harmless to humans. On the contrary, it is people who eat the meat of such aquatic animals. It is stored both salted and fresh.
As the name itself eloquently broadcasts, such sharks, like the previous species, belong to the same genus of striped sharks, and also live in salt waters in the immediate vicinity of the coast of China.
Chinese striped shark
It would be nice to add to this information that these creatures are found, plus everything, in the water area Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan and some other countries close in territorial location to China.
In size, these sharks are quite small (no more than 92 cm in length, but more often even smaller). In view of this, such babies cannot be dangerous for a person. However, their own meat is edible, and therefore is often eaten by people. The snout of these sharks is elongated. The body, the main background of which is gray-brown or just gray, resembles a spindle in shape.
Sharks of this species are the only representatives of their genus and family that bear the same original name: mustachioed dog sharks. These creatures earned this nickname for their external resemblance to well-known animals, impressive folds in the corners of their mouths and mustaches located on the snout.
Members of this species are even smaller in size than the previously described variety: a maximum of 82 cm and nothing more. At the same time, the body of these creatures is very short, and the entire size of an extremely slender body is achieved due to the long tail.
Mustachioed dog shark
Such inhabitants of the salty elements prefer ocean depths up to 75 m, and usually do not rise above ten meters deep. They often swim near the bottom, preferring to live where the waters are especially muddy.
They are viviparous, producing up to 7 cubs at a time. Due to the hunt for their meat, dog sharks are in a very distressed situation and may disappear from the oceans of the planet forever.
Such creatures are found, as a rule, along the African coast, and spread in the waters somewhat north up to the Mediterranean Sea. Sharks of this type are considered excellent, fast swimmers and excellent hunters. They feed on invertebrates, in addition to the fish itself, they also eat its caviar.
harlequin shark is the name of a genus in the cat shark family. This genus includes the only species of Somali sharks. Unlike most species already described, they are considered ovoviviparous.
Their length usually does not exceed 46 cm; color spotted, brown-red; stocky body, oval eyes, triangular mouth. They live in the western part of the waters of the Indian Ocean.
harlequin shark
For the first time, such a variety was described only in the second half of the last century. The reason that these creatures were hidden from human eyes for a long time is understandable. They live at a considerable depth, sometimes reaching 175 m.
In any case, higher to the surface than 75 m, such small representatives of the shark tribe, as a rule, do not rise. For the first time, such a shark was caught off the coast of Somalia, for which representatives of the species received such a name.
These creatures, belonging to the genus and family of the same name with their name, are remarkable in many respects. Being cartilaginous fish, like all sharks, they are considered a relic, that is, a form of life that has not changed since long past geological eras, a kind of relic of the fauna. This is indicated by some primitive features of their structure. For example, underdevelopment of the spine.
In addition, the appearance of such creatures is very peculiar, and looking at them, you can rather decide that you see sea snakes, but not sharks. By the way, many people think so. Especially the frilled shark resembles these reptiles at the moments when this predator goes hunting.
frilled shark
Its victims are usually small bony fish and cephalopods. Seeing the prey and making a sharp throw towards it, like a snake, this creature first bends with its whole body.
And its mobile long jaws, equipped with slender rows of sharp and small teeth, are quite adapted to swallow even an impressive prey as a whole. The brown body of such creatures is covered in front with peculiar skin folds.
Their purpose is to hide the openings of the gills. On the throat, the gill membranes, merging, take the form of a voluminous skin lobe. All this is very similar to a cloak, from which such sharks were called frilled. Such animals are found in the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, usually living at considerable depths.
Wobbegongs are a whole family of sharks, divided into two genera, and they are also divided into 11 varieties. All of their representatives also have a second name: carpet sharks. And it not only reflects the features of their structure, it should be considered extremely accurate.
The fact is that these sharks have only a distant resemblance to most of their relatives from the shark tribe, because the body of wobbegongs is incredibly flat. And nature rewarded them with such forms not by chance.
Wobbegong carpet shark
These predatory creatures live at the very depths of the oceans and seas, and when they go hunting, they become completely invisible to their prey in this form. They merge with the bottom, near which they try to stay, which is also greatly facilitated by the spotted camouflage color of these creatures.
They feed on cuttlefish, octopus, squid and small fish. The rounded head of the wobbegong is practically one with their flattened body. Her small eyes are barely visible.
The organs of touch for such representatives of the superorder of cartilaginous fish are fleshy antennae located at the nostrils. Funny sideburns, beard and mustache stand out on their muzzle. The size of these bottom dwellers depends on the species. Some are about a meter in size. Others may be much larger.
The record holder for this indicator is the spotted wobbegong - a three-meter giant. These creatures prefer to settle in the warm waters of the tropics or, at worst, somewhere nearby.
They are found mostly in two oceans: the Pacific and the Indian. Cautious predators spend their lives in secluded places under corals, and divers never even try to attack.
Another proof that the world of sharks is incomprehensible in its diversity is the brownie shark, otherwise called the goblin shark. The appearance of these creatures stands out so unusually that, looking at them, it is difficult to classify them as a tribe of sharks. However, these representatives of the ocean fauna are considered to be just such, belonging to the Scapanorhynchus family.
Types of brownie shark
The sizes of these inhabitants of salt waters are approximately one meter or a little more. Their snout is surprisingly elongated, while taking the form of a shovel or oar. In the lower part of it, a mouth stands out, equipped with a large number of crooked teeth.
Such features of appearance produce an extremely unpleasant, but mixed with mystical sensations, impression. That is why such a shark was awarded the names already mentioned. To this should be added a very strange, pinkish skin, with which this creature stands out from other living beings.
It is almost transparent, so much so that blood vessels can even be seen through it. Moreover, due to this feature, this deep-sea inhabitant experiences painful transformations during sharp rises.
And at the same time, not only her eyes, in the literal sense, crawl out of their sockets, but also the insides come out through the mouth. The reason is the difference in pressure at the usual depths of the ocean and its surface for such creatures.
brownie shark
But this is not all the remarkable features of these creatures. Their, already mentioned, crooked teeth almost exactly copy the teeth of prehistoric sharks, especially since the sharks of this species themselves look like ghosts of bygone eras, preserved at the bottom of the oceans.
The range of these rare representatives of the terrestrial fauna and its boundaries are still unclear. But presumably brownie sharks are found in all oceans, excluding, perhaps, only the waters of northern latitudes.
In size, such a shark is quite large and has a length of more than three meters and a mass of about 100 kg. It belongs to the herring family, therefore, like its other representatives, it is naturally endowed with the ability to maintain a certain, higher than the surrounding aquatic environment, body temperature.
This is an aggressive predator, famous for the manner of ruffling its scales before an attack. Such creatures are sensitive to the smell of possible prey. Such impudent ones are quite capable of attacking a person, but the human race also does not disdain the meat of such sharks. They may also be prey to larger salt water predators.
mako shark
In shape, these creatures resemble a spindle, the snout is conical, elongated. Their teeth are incredibly thin and sharp. The top of the body has a grayish-blue tint, the belly is noticeably lighter.
Mako sharks live in the open ocean, in temperate and tropical latitudes, and are famous for their swiftness, as well as their ability to perform acrobatic tricks. The speed of their movement in the water reaches 74 km / h, and jumping out of it, such sharks rise to a height of about 6 m above the surface.
Sharks belonging to this family, not without reason, received the nickname of sea threshers. The thresher shark is a creature unique in its ability to use the natural resources of its own tail to obtain food.
For her, this is the surest weapon, because it is with it that she stuns the fish that she feeds on. And it should be noted that among the shark tribe, with her manner of hunting, she is the one and only.
fox shark
The tail of this creature is a very remarkable part of the body, which has a striking external feature: the upper lobe of its fin is unusually long and comparable to the size of the shark itself, and it can reach 5 m. Moreover, such creatures own their tail truly masterfully.
Thresher sharks are found not only in tropical, but also in less comfortable, temperate waters. They live in the Pacific Ocean near the coast of Asia, and also often choose the coast of North America for their livelihoods.
This is another extremely amazing creature from a diverse species of sharks. It is absolutely impossible to confuse such an instance with any of its relatives. The reason is the unusual shape of the head. It is flattened and incredibly expanded, from which the shark itself becomes like a hammer.
Hammerhead shark
This creature is far from harmless. It is not safe for a person to meet with her, because such predators are more than aggressive towards the genus of bipeds. The family of such sharks has about 9 species. Among them, the most interesting to mention is the giant hammerhead shark, the largest specimens of which reach eight meters in length.
To interesting features Such aquatic creatures should be attributed to the presence on the scalp of a large number of sensory cells that capture electrical impulses. This helps them navigate in space and find prey.
This creature belongs to the family of gray sharks. The placoid scales that cover its body are extremely soft, which is why the silky shark is named that way. This species from the shark tribe is considered the most common in the warm ocean waters in the world everywhere. In depth, such creatures usually descend no more than 50 m and try to stay closer to the coastline of the continents.
silky shark
The length of such sharks is on average 2.5 m, the mass is also not the largest - somewhere around 300 kg. The color is bronze-gray, but the shade is saturated, reeking of metal. Distinctive features of such sharks are: endurance, acute hearing, curiosity and speed of movement. All this helps such predators in hunting.
Having met shoals of fish on their way, they simply continue to move rapidly, opening their mouths. Especially favorite prey for them is tuna. Such sharks do not specifically attack people. But divers, in case of their provocative behavior, should be wary of the sharp teeth of these predators.
Such a shark boasts numerous nicknames. Perhaps the most impressive of the names is "porpoise". Although the appearance of these creatures belonging to the herring family, sharks should be considered the most typical.
Their body is in the form of a torpedo, elongated; fins are well developed; there is a huge mouth, equipped, as expected, with very sharp teeth; crescent-shaped caudal fin. The shade of the body of such a creature is bluish-gray, large black eyes stand out on the snout. Their body length is about 3 m.
Atlantic herring shark
The way of life of such sharks is a constant movement in which they are from birth until the hour of death. Such is their nature and structural features. And they die, going to the bottom of the ocean element.
They live, as the name implies, in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and they inhabit both the open ocean and its eastern and western coasts. The meat of such sharks has decent taste, although there is still a need for its culinary processing before consumption.
The species of such sharks, belonging to the sawnose family, is very rare. And the range of these aquatic creatures is ridiculously small. They are found only in the Caribbean Sea, and in a limited area, in the area between the Bahamas, Florida and Cuba.
Bahamian sawnose shark
A notable feature of such sharks, which was the reason for the name, is a flattened elongated snout, ending in a narrow and long sawtooth outgrowth, measuring a third of the entire body. The head of such creatures is stretched and slightly flattened, the body is slender, elongated, the color is gray-brown.
Such creatures use their outgrowth, as well as long antennae, when searching for food. Their diet is almost no different from most members of the shark tribe. It consists of: shrimp, squid, crustaceans, as well as small bony fish. The sizes of these sharks usually do not exceed 80 cm, and they live at considerable depths.
Sharks are a superorder in the class of cartilaginous fish. Today, more than 450 species of these animals are known. They are very common in the seas and oceans, but there are species of sharks that can live in fresh water.
Most sharks are predators, however, three species (whale, giant and largemouth) feed on plankton.
(Cetorhinus maximus) is found in temperate latitudes and keeps mainly on the surface. It swims with its mouth wide open to filter plankton. It reaches a length of 12 m. For large fish and humans, this shark is absolutely safe.
The largest fish on the planet - whale shark(Rhincodon typus) can grow up to 15 m in length. This huge brown shark with white spots on its back lives in tropical latitudes. The whale shark feeds only on plankton, krill and small fish, which it filters out of the water through its gills. She has teeth, but small and practically unnecessary.
mako shark All types of sharks breathe oxygen dissolved in water, passing it through the gills. However, most of them must constantly move in order to maintain breathing. mako shark(Isurus oxyrinchus) - the fastest shark in the world, can reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. It has a powerful streamlined body of a deep of blue color It can be up to 4m long.
Sharks do not have a swim bladder. In order not to go to the bottom, they have special adaptations: a large liver, a cartilaginous skeleton and fins. These fish have a wonderful sense of smell; they primarily use it to search for prey. (Squatina) prefers to burrow into the sand at the bottom and wait for prey, attacking from an ambush. The length of her body is 1.5 m, the body is wide, flat, with rounded jaws.
And here is the shark sea fox(Alopias vulpinus) drives fish by striking the ocean surface with the long upper part of the caudal fin. She uses her tail to stun her prey. The tail of a sea fox can reach the same length as its body, ‒ 4-5 m.
(Carcharodon carcharias) is the largest modern predatory fish: its length is up to 6.4 m, weight is 2268 kg. One of amazing abilities white shark is keeping more high temperature body than the temperature of the surrounding water.
One of the most dangerous species for humans bull shark(Carcharhinus leucas). Large aggressive shark, grows up to 3.5 m in length. Usually found along warm coasts, but can also swim in rivers.
Rare species include deep-sea frilled shark(Chlamydoselachus anguineus). Its gills are covered with skin folds. Having a long, up to 2 m, thin body, this shark looks more like an eel.
(Mitsukurina owstoni) is also a rare bottom shark species. It gained popularity due to its long snout and protruding beak-like jaws. Grows up to 3-5 m.
hammerhead sharks(Sphyrnidae) - a family that is distinguished by a hammer-like head shape with eyes on the edges. The unusual structure of the head allows these sharks to quickly notice prey. Most species feed on fish, squid and crustaceans, but the largest representatives can be dangerous to humans.
Among the coral reefs there are relatively small reef sharks(Triaenodon obesus). Their length does not exceed 3 m. This genus of sharks includes: white tip reef shark, black tip reef shark, Caribbean reef shark, gray reef shark.
In tropical latitudes lives meter milk shark(Rhizoprionodon acutus), feeding on small fish and crustaceans. Sometimes it is found in streams and tidal rivers. Also lives here nurse shark(Ginglymostoma cirratum), which grows up to 2.5 m in length. It usually feeds at night, sucking food from the seabed with a soft mouth.
small glowing sharks(Isistius) reach only 50 cm. They have thin brown bodies and short snouts. These types of sharks feed using razor-sharp teeth that rip out round chunks of flesh from their prey: tuna, dolphins and whales.
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