Sharks Biology Quiz

The ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal body temperature regardless of external temperature changes.

The ability of an organism to regulate its body temperature based on the surrounding environment.

A specialized structure in sharks that allows them to concentrate heat from muscles to the eyes, enhancing vision in dim light and cold water.

A network of blood vessels in sharks that allows for countercurrent heat exchange, efficiently transferring heat from warm muscles to cold extremities.

A form of reproduction where fertilized eggs are laid and development occurs outside of the mother's body.

A form of reproduction where embryos develop inside the mother's body, receiving nourishment from the yolk sac and sometimes a placenta.

Reproduction where the embryo develops inside the mother's body and receives nourishment solely from the yolk sac.

Reproduction where the mother provides additional nourishment to the embryo beyond the yolk sac, often through a placenta.

A group of cartilaginous fishes including rays, skates, and stingrays. They are characterized by their flattened bodies, enlarged pectoral fins, and ventral gill openings.

A flat, disk-shaped body with pectoral fins that extend to the head, used for swimming.

A specialized opening on the top of the fish's head that allows for water intake, since their mouths are on their underbelly.

Rays and skates are mostly found on the ocean floor, using camouflage and ambush tactics to catch prey.

These rays have a long, whip-like tail with a venomous spine that is used for defense.

Sharks have a unique tail structure where the dorsal (top) lobe is significantly longer than the ventral (bottom) lobe.

Sharks have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, with an olfactory area that takes up 2/3 of their brain.

Sharks can detect incredibly small amounts of blood in water, with a sensitivity 100 times greater than humans.

This group of sharks is generally larger and includes familiar species like great white sharks, hammerhead sharks, and whale sharks.

This group of sharks is generally smaller and includes species like angel sharks, spiny dogfish, and green lantern sharks, many of which live in the deep sea.

Sharks have a lateral line system that detects vibrations and turbulence in the water, helping them sense prey and navigate.

Sharks can use their sense of smell to find prey, migrate, and navigate in the deep sea. Sharks with larger olfactory lobes are typically found in migratory or deep-sea habitats.

A nictitating membrane is a protective inner eyelid that covers the eye, primarily during feeding or encounters with other sharks.

Sharks have specialized structures in their retinas called "tapetum lucidum" which are platelike crystals of guanine that act like mirrors, reflecting light back through the retina to increase the number of photons absorbed. This allows them to see better in low light conditions, like at dusk or in deeper waters.

Sensory structures in sharks called 'Ampullae of Lorenzini' detect weak electric fields produced by the muscle activity of other animals. These pores are located in the head and face of the shark. This sense allows sharks to hunt prey buried in sand, even if it is not visible.

The inner ear in sharks is responsible for both hearing and balance. It contains a structure called the "membranous labyrinth" which is filled with endolymph, a fluid similar to seawater. This fluid carries vibrations through the "endolymphatic duct" to the inner ear. This is similar to how our own inner ear works with sound vibrations.

Sharks have more rods than cones in their retinas, which allows their retinas to be more sensitive to low light conditions. Rods, being more light-sensitive, allow better vision in dim light environments, while cones are responsible for color vision and are less sensitive to low light levels.

Sharks can move the entire lens of their eyes forwards or backwards using muscles attached directly to the lens. This mechanism allows them to focus on objects at different distances, which is essential for hunting prey in their environment.

Sharks have remarkable senses. They have excellent vision in low light, allowing them to hunt at dusk and in deeper waters. They also have electroreception which allows them to sense muscle activity of prey, even when it is buried in the sand.

Sharks often circle unfamiliar prey before attacking, while they will attack familiar prey immediately. This indicates they can differentiate between potential meal options based on familiarity. This behavior suggests complex processing of information from their senses.

Sharks are opportunistic feeders meaning they will also consume dead or weakened animals. This behavior highlights their adaptability and scavenging nature. They are not solely reliant on hunting live prey.

A group of cartilaginous fish that includes skates and rays, characterized by their flattened bodies, pectoral fins that extend forward, and gill slits on the underside of their bodies.

A group of cartilaginous fish that are closely related to sharks but have a number of distinctive features, including a bony plate covering the gill arches, a skull that is firmly attached to the jaw, and teeth modified into crushing plates.

A specialized muscle located on either side of the head of an electric ray, capable of generating a powerful electric discharge to stun prey.

A type of reproduction in which fertilized eggs are laid and development occurs outside of the mother's body.

A type of reproduction in which embryos develop inside the mother's body, receiving nourishment from the yolk sac and sometimes a placenta.

A group of fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, including sharks, rays, and chimaeras.

The largest known shark, extinct for millions of years. It was significantly bigger than today's great white shark.

One of the two main groups of cartilaginous fish. Includes sharks, rays, and skates.

The other main group of cartilaginous fish. Includes chimaeras, rabbitfishes, and ghost sharks.

A type of cartilaginous fish with a single external gill opening, a long flexible tail, and large eyes. Also known as rabbitfishes, ratfishes, and ghost sharks.

The unique skeletal structure of cartilaginous fish. Made of a material similar to bone, but mineralized differently.

Chondrichthyan teeth are not embedded in the jaw like bony fish. They grow in a whorl and are continually replaced as old teeth wear down.

Primitive sharks had a firmly attached upper jaw. Modern sharks have a movable upper jaw allowing them to extend and retract their jaws during feeding.

Specialized scales found in Chondrichthyes. They are bony, spiny projections that are similar in structure to teeth.

Bioluminescence is the production of light by living organisms. In some sharks, photopores produce light that helps camouflage the animal.

Biofluorescence is the absorption of light at one wavelength and the re-emission of light at a different wavelength. Some sharks exhibit biofluorescence, likely for communication.

A sub-group of Chondrichthyes, including sharks, rays, and skates. They have a ventral mouth, 5-7 gill slits, placoid scales, and a liver containing squalene oil.

Sensory organs in Elasmobranchii that detect vibrations in the water.

A characteristic of Elasmobranchii - instead of a swim bladder, they have a liver filled with squalene oil for buoyancy.

A specialized adaptation found in some Elasmobranchii. They give birth to live young after a gestation period that can be up to 2 years.

Some sharks have a thin, tough membrane that covers their eye and protects it from abrasion, particularly during feeding.

Sharks have an incredibly keen sense of smell. Their olfactory area is 2/3 of their brain's volume.

A group of fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton, including sharks, rays, and chimaeras.

A group of cartilaginous fishes, including sharks, rays, and skates, that have a ventral mouth and 5-7 gill slits.

The other main group of cartilaginous fish, including chimaeras, rabbitfishes, and ghost sharks.

A type of cartilaginous fish with a single external gill opening, a long flexible tail, and large eyes.

The unique skeletal structure of cartilaginous fish. It is made of a material similar to bone, but mineralized differently.

Chondrichthyan teeth are not embedded in the jaw like bony fish. They grow in a whorl and are continually replaced as old teeth wear down.

Primitive sharks had a firmly attached upper jaw. Modern sharks have a movable upper jaw allowing them to extend and retract their jaws during feeding.

Specialized scales found in Chondrichthyes. They are bony, spiny projections that are similar in structure to teeth.

Bioluminescence is the production of light by living organisms. In some sharks, photopores produce light that helps camouflage the animal.

Biofluorescence is the absorption of light at one wavelength and the re-emission of light at a different wavelength. Some sharks exhibit biofluorescence, likely for communication.

Sensory organs in Elasmobranchii that detect vibrations in the water.

The ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal body temperature regardless of external temperature changes.

The ability of an organism to regulate its body temperature based on the surrounding environment.

A specialized structure in sharks that allows them to concentrate heat from muscles to the eyes, enhancing vision in dim light and cold water.

The mouth is often extremely protrusible, allowing them to suck prey from the substrate.

The largest rays, manta rays, filter feed plankton.

A specialized structure in the shark's eye that reflects light back through the retina, enhancing vision in low light conditions.

Sensory pores located in the sharks' head and face that detect weak electric fields generated by muscle activity of other animals.

The inner ear of sharks, containing a fluid-filled system of canals that allows them to sense vibrations in the water and maintain balance.

A pair of sensory structures in the shark's inner ear, containing granules of calcium carbonate (otoliths) that shift when the shark changes direction or senses vibrations.

The ability of an animal to detect weak electrical fields produced by other animals, often used for prey detection and navigation.

A shark's typical predatory behavior when encountering unfamiliar prey, involving circling before attacking.

Sharps are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat dead or weakened animals in addition to hunting live prey.

Sharks primarily rely on senses other than vision for hunting, especially during close-range attacks, such as electroreception and smell.

Sharks maintain a stable internal body temperature despite their surroundings.

A specialized structure in sharks that allows their mouths to open wide and generate suction for capturing prey.

Sharks have rows of sharp teeth that are constantly replaced throughout their lifetime.

A mechanism that allows sharks to efficiently reproduce, releasing a large number of offspring at once.

Rays are kite-shaped, with a whip-like tail that may have a venomous spine, and reproduce through viviparity (live young). Skates are more rounded, have a thick tail with no spines, and lay eggs (oviparity).

Unlike most fish, chimaeras have a bony plate covering their gill arches, their upper jaw is firmly fused to their skull, and their teeth have evolved into crushing plates.

Electric rays have specialized muscles near their heads that generate strong electric shocks to stun prey. They use this ability for both ambush hunting during the day and capturing prey at night.

Chimaeras inhabit deep ocean environments, feeding on a variety of organisms like sea anemones, jellyfish, small fish, and invertebrates. They take many years to reach maturity and reproduce only once a year. Their young are hatched from eggs.

Chimaeras are typically categorized into three forms based on their snout shape: Shortnose, Longnose, and Plownose. These forms can differ in their diet and habitats.