Types of Sharks

TYPES OF SHARKS

To wrap it up, let's look at some of the types of sharks we've been discussing.

ANGEL SHARK:

flat body like a stingray -- you can tell the shark is not a ray because the pectoral fins are not attached to the head.
They bury themselves in the sand or mud with only the eyes and part of the top of the body exposed.
They are bottom feeders, eating crustaceans like clams and mollusks and fish that are swimming close to the ocean floor

basking shark photo by Chris Gotschalk BASKING SHARK:

BLACKTIP REEF SHARK:

does well in captivity so is often found in aquariums (which is why we have so many photos of it)
about 6 feet long.
grey with a black tip on its fins and white streak on its side

BLUE SHARK:

BULL SHARK:

third most dangerous to people
can swim in salt and fresh water and have even been found in the Mississipi river.

COOKIECUTTER SHARK:

a small shark (less than 2 feet long)
eats perfecty round chunks out of living whales and dolphins by clamping its teeth extremely sharp teeth onto them.

goblin shark photo from 1909 GOBLIN SHARK

very uncommon and likely the strangest looking shark (rarely seen the photos were actually taken in 1909)
pale, pinkish grey skin with a long pointed snout (it looks a bit like a sword on top of its head)
lives in very deep water.
found off the coast of Japan in 1898... until that time it was believed to have been extinct for 100 million years

GREAT WHITE SHARK:

HAMMERHEAD SHARK:

unlikely to attack people, but considered dangerous due to its predatory nature and its size
eyes and nostrils are far apart, giving it a "hammerhead" appearance and allowing the shark to extend the range of its senses.

MAKO SHARK:

NURSE SHARK:

bottom dwelling shark
thin, fleshy, whisker-like organs on the lower jaw in front of the nostrils that they use to touch and taste
hunt at night, sleep by day
common at aquariums

SANDTIGER SHARK:

the sandtiger shark has very pointed teeth -- the better to eat you with (if you're a fish!)
10 feet long
predator (carnivore)
nocturnal (hunts mostly at night)
Babies: The mother shark has two uterus. Many sharks begin in the uterus, but the strongest one in each uterus eats all the others before they are born.

SPINY DOGFISH SHARK:

thresher shark photo by the NOAA THRESHER SHARK:

tiger shark photo by Albert Kok TIGER SHARK:

second most attacks on people
eat anything! (have been found with boat cushions and alarm clocks in their stomachs)

WHALE SHARK:

WHITE TIP REEF SHARK:

probably the most common shark encountered by divers and snorkelers on tropical reefs
about 3 feet long on average though it can be as big as 6 feet.
dark grey with a white tip on the first and sometimes on the second dorsal fin as well as the tail lobes

Photo by Yvonne

WOBBEGONG SHARK:

ZEBRA SHARK: