Sharks Facts and Information

Scientific Classification

• Common Name: Sharks
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Chondrichthyes
• Subclass: Elasmobranchii
• Superorder: Selachii
• Species: Approximately 350 different species

Fast Facts

• Description:
  • Sharks are ectothermic (cold-blooded) fishes
  • Live in water, have fins, breathe with gills
  • Skeleton made of cartilage, not bone
  • Typically have 5 gill slits except for two species
• Sexual Dimorphism: Males have external claspers
• Size:
  • Largest: Whale Shark (13.7 m / 45 ft)
  • Smallest: Midwater Shark & Pygmy Ribbontail Catshark (22-25 cm)
• Diet:
  • Teeth adapted to diet, may be serrated or smooth
  • Species-specific diets (e.g., hammerhead sharks eat stingrays)
• Reproduction:
  • Oviparous, viviparous, or ovoviviparous
• Lifespan:
  • Long-lived due to slow growth and low reproductive rate
  • Lifespan determination is not accurate
• Habitat:
  • Worldwide distribution from tropical to polar regions
  • Some inhabit freshwater

Fun Facts

1. Sharks inhabit various global waters, including freshwater lakes and rivers.
2. Sharks are cold-blooded, with cartilage skeletons and fins.
3. Their fusiform body shape reduces drag in water.
4. Cold-blooded, lower metabolism leads to lesser food requirements.
5. Only 32 out of 350 species have been known to attack humans.
6. Sharks have multiple rows of teeth, not anchored in jaws.
7. More info available in SeaWorld's Sharks & Rays InfoBook.

Ecology and Conservation

• Sharks have been used historically for food, medicines, teeth for tools, and skin for sandpaper.
• Many shark species are now nearing extinction due to overfishing for meat and accidental capture.

Bibliography

• Books and Publications:
  • Peterson Field Guide to Pacific Coast Fishes by Eschmeyer, Herald, and Hammann
  • Sharks in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book by Springer and Gold
  • Sharks: From Fear to Fascination by Wlodarski
• Websites:
  • fishbase.org
  • flmnh.ufl.edu (IUCN Shark Specialist Group)