Shark Physical Characteristics and Senses

Physical Characteristics

• Sharks have a streamlined, torpedo-shaped body that reduces drag and allows for efficient swimming.
• They have a cartilaginous skeleton, which is lighter and more flexible than a bony skeleton.
• Their skin is covered in denticles, tooth-like scales that reduce friction and improve swimming efficiency.
• Sharks have a horizontal tail, which they use to propel themselves through the water.

Senses

• Sharks have exceptional senses, including:
  • Electroreception: the ability to detect electrical signals from other animals, using specialized electroreceptors called the ampullae of Lorenzini.
  • Smell: sharks have a highly developed sense of smell, which they use to detect prey and navigate.
  • Vision: sharks have a wide field of vision, but their visual acuity is limited.

Feeding and Diet

• Sharks are apex predators, which means they have no natural predators in the wild.
• They feed on a variety of prey, including fish, squid, crustaceans, and other marine animals.
• Some species of sharks are specialized feeders, such as:
  • Filter feeders: which use their gill rakers to filter small fish and plankton from the water.
  • Ambush predators: which use stealth and camouflage to catch prey by surprise.

Behavior and Migration

• Sharks are generally solitary animals, but some species have been observed exhibiting social behavior, such as:
  • Schooling: some species of sharks, such as the spiny dogfish, form large schools for protection and feeding.
  • Mating: some species of sharks form aggregations for mating, which can be triggered by environmental cues.
• Some species of sharks are known to migrate long distances in search of food, mates, or suitable habitats.

Conservation Status

• Many species of sharks are threatened or endangered due to:
  • Overfishing: sharks are often caught accidentally in commercial fisheries, and are also targeted for their fins, which are highly valued in some cultures.
  • Habitat destruction: sharks are often found in coastal ecosystems, which are vulnerable to human activities such as coastal development and pollution.
• Conservation efforts, such as catch limits and habitat protection, are necessary to protect shark populations and maintain the health of marine ecosystems.

Physical Characteristics

• Streamlined, torpedo-shaped body reduces drag and allows for efficient swimming.
• Cartilaginous skeleton is lighter and more flexible than a bony skeleton.
• Skin is covered in denticles, tooth-like scales that reduce friction and improve swimming efficiency.
• Horizontal tail propels sharks through the water.

Senses

• Exceptional senses include electroreception, smell, and vision.
• Electroreception detects electrical signals from other animals using ampullae of Lorenzini.
• Highly developed sense of smell detects prey and navigates.
• Wide field of vision, but limited visual acuity.

Feeding and Diet

• Apex predators with no natural predators in the wild.
• Feed on fish, squid, crustaceans, and other marine animals.
• Specialized feeders include filter feeders and ambush predators.
• Filter feeders use gill rakers to filter small fish and plankton from the water.
• Ambush predators use stealth and camouflage to catch prey by surprise.

Behavior and Migration

• Generally solitary animals, but some species exhibit social behavior.
• Schooling provides protection and feeding advantages.
• Mating aggregations are triggered by environmental cues.
• Some species migrate long distances for food, mates, or suitable habitats.

Conservation Status

• Many species are threatened or endangered due to overfishing and habitat destruction.
• Overfishing includes accidental catches and targeted fin catches.
• Habitat destruction affects coastal ecosystems and sharks.
• Conservation efforts, such as catch limits and habitat protection, are necessary to protect shark populations.