Types of Sharks
Basking sharks
may look fearsome, but they are relatively gentle giants that can grow up to 33 feet long.
Their size is matched in heft, with many weighing up to 8,000 pounds or about as much as a
four-passenger jet. Basking sharks take it slow and easy, swimming at no more than three
miles per hour by swaying their entire bodies from left to right. While they commonly are
spotted near the water’s surface, some descend down to deeper waters during the winter
months to escape the icy cold in less temperate portions of their wide range.
Feeding Habits - For such an enormous fish basking sharks consume very tiny prey. Most of
their diet consists of plankton, fish eggs, larvae and copepods, which are small freshwater
crustaceans. A filter feeder, basking sharks obtain their food passively. They swim with their
mouths open, filtering around 2,000 tons of water per hour. Bristlelike structures known as
gill rakers trap the plankton, allowing water to exit out the gills and mouth.
Cool Fact - Basking sharks are among the largest fish in the world, second only to whale
sharks in size.
Depth – 0
Black-dogfish Shark
Overview - Often sharks are viewed as a menace to humans, but many shark species live
deep below the ocean’s surface and rarely, if ever, make any effort to investigate people at
lesser depths. This holds true for the black dogfish, which occurs between 975 to 5,280
feet. Nevertheless, commercial fishing operations sometimes will catch this elusive shark.
When first brought above water, the eyes of this shark are a reflective green. That is because
its vision is adapted to life in near darkness. The black dogfish is found in parts of the Atlantic
Ocean, usually confined to the outer continental and upper continental shelves. The shark
can withstand low temperatures. One was caught in water measuring 34 degrees Fahrenheit.
Feeding Habits - Like most sharks, the black dogfish has special anatomical features that
enhance its ability to find and consume prey. This shark’s teeth look like fire flames, with
multiple jagged, pointy ends at the tips. Its upper and lower jaws each contain 68 teeth. The
multiple choppers allow the black dogfish to grab and pulverize tough shellfish and small
bony fishes.
Cool Fact - Both dorsal fins on the black dogfish are lined with prominent grooved spines
that contain a mild poison.
Depth - 5,280 feet
Blue Shark
Beautiful and elegant are not words often associated with sharks, but they seem appropriate
for the sleek blue shark. Its streamlined, indigo-blue body seems to move effortlessly from
the surface to the deep sea that it favors. Its large pectoral fin and other appendages help
with navigation, but its secret to buoyancy is a giant, oil-filled liver. This makes it easier for
the shark to travel incredibly long distances. One tagged blue shark traveled from New York
to Brazil, a distance of over 3,740 miles.
Feeding Habits - Blue sharks eat until they almost burst. Researchers have observed groups
of the sharks approach schools of anchovies. They may feed enthusiastically and then later
regurgitate before starting to eat once again. Their drive to feast seems insatiable. In
addition to anchovies, they also often consume mackerel, sardines, birds, seals, turtles and
squid. Gill rakers located on the blue shark’s gills help to prevent the slippery squid from
escaping. The shark’s quest for food sometimes compels it to dive to depths up to 1,500 feet
or more for extended periods of time.
Cool Fact - Blue sharks mature quickly, with males and females becoming sexually active at
around 5 years of age.
Depth - 1,148 feet
Dusky or Grayish sharks
used to be plentiful in their wide range, which extends to the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian
oceans. Commercial fishing, pollution and other human-induced pressures have reduced the
population substantially over the past few decades. Now they are considered to be “near
threatened,” and experts remain concerned for this shark’s future. It takes a number of years
for this species to mature and grow, reaching lengths of around 13 feet. The sharks may be
found in warm, temperate continental waters, sometimes favoring a certain region for
months at a time before migrating. Divers near Sydney, Australia, sometimes encounter
juvenile dusky sharks closer to the water’s surface.
Feeding Habits - Many sharks have a matching set of teeth, meaning that the teeth set in
the upper jaw mirror those in the lower jaw. The dusky, however, bites through prey with
two different sets. Its upper teeth are shaped like broad triangles with serrated edges. Its
bottom teeth are more straight and pointed. When hunting, the dusky can then grab and
hold its catch with the lower teeth, while the upper ones chomp down like a bread slicer.
Cool Fact - A dark stripe often appears on dusky sharks, extending from the pelvic fins to its
head.
Depth - 1,240 feet
Dwarf Gulper Shark
(No Original Photo) It is from another source
Overview - Researchers only became aware of the mysterious and threatened dwarf
gulper shark in the early 20th century. A deepwater dogfish, this shark inhabits the Indian
to the Pacific oceans from parts of Japan and Taiwan to northern Papua New Guinea. Its two
dorsal fins come equipped with large spines that probably aid the shark in defense. This
shark likely serves as prey for other shark species and numerous predators, since it is only
just over 2 * feet long
Feeding Habits - Little is known about the dwarf gulper shark’s diet, but its teeth and
favored water depth provide some clues. The teeth in its lower jaw are much larger than the
upper teeth, but all are shaped like blades for grasping and slicing. With that in mind, and the
fact that this is a dogfish in the deep sea, it probably consumes things like crustaceans,
various deepwater fishes, shrimp, squids and jellyfish.
Cool Fact - Some fish used to make “fish and chips” in the United Kingdom resemble the
dwarf gulper shark in shape and size.
Depth - 1,476 feet
False Catshark
Imagine being named something that you are not, such as “Not a Horse.” This was the case
for the false catshark, whose only resemblance to a cat is its elongated eyes. Catsharks, in
general, are also distinguished by two small dorsal fins. Interestingly enough, many members
of this same family of sharks are also called dogfish. These sharks possess spiracles, which
are respiratory openings behind the eyes. They also have a large mouth with a very wide
gape, the better to hold its hundreds of teeth. The small teeth fit tightly together in multiple
rows arranged around the shark’s mouth. This shark has been found in the Atlantic, Pacific
and Indian oceans. It favors deep waters between 656 to 4,921 feet.
Feeding Habits - A 1992 study conducted by shark experts examined the diet of false
catsharks. The researchers cut open the stomachs of select specimens to determine what
they had recently consumed. False catsharks from the North and South Pacific ate cut-throat
eels, grenadiers, snake mackerel, lanternsharks, squids, octopuses, frigate mackerel,
needlefishes and two pufferfishes. A northeastern Atlantic false catshark unfortunately had
consumed large quantities of human garbage, including a plastic bag, soft drink can, potatoes
and a pear.
Cool Fact- The false catshark is the only member of its genus, Pseudotriakis, and of its
particular family, Pseudotriakidae.
Depth - 4,921 feet
Frill Shark
In 2007, a fisherman near Tokyo, Japan, told Awashiwa Marine Park officials that he’d just
seen a very unusual eel-like creature with needle-sharp teeth. Staff at the park followed the
fisherman, who directed them to the 5-foot-long oddity. They caught the creature, which was
later identified as a frilled shark.
The frilled shark has been called everything from a “sea serpent” to a real-life “Loch Ness
Monster” over the years in places where it lives, such as southeast Australia, New Zealand,
Southeast Asia, West Africa, Chile and the Caribbean. A more accurate nickname is “the living
fossil,” since this shark belongs to a primitive species that has changed very little over
millions of years.
Frilled Shark Anatomy
When open, the frilled shark’s mouth reveals 300 trident-shaped teeth aligned in 25 rows.
Aside from its unmistakable toothiness, the mouth looks larger than that of other sharks
because its jaws terminate at the back of the fish’s head instead of underneath the skull. The
head appears to be all mouth, capped off at the throat region with six frilled gills, hence its
name.
The first gill slit cuts right across the throat, making it look as if someone sliced it with a knife
there. The rest of the brown body is nearly identical to that of an eel, save for the
elasmobranch’s small pectoral fins, dorsal fin, anal fin and lengthy caudal fin. Because of the
fin placement and shape, R. Aidan Martin of the ReefQuest Center for Shark Research once
described the shark’s posterior as looking like “the wings on a throwing dart.”
Goblin Shark
Form may follow function, but it does not always have to be pretty. While the goblin shark
is well adapted for its deep-sea habitat, some people have referred to this fish as “the ugliest
living shark.” Still others liken it to an alien from outer space. Its mostly pink body contains
soft, flabby flesh. Perhaps its most distinguishing feature is its uniquely shaped head. The
shark’s beak-like snout protrudes like a trowel, making it perfect for investigating muddy
ocean bottoms. When the goblin shark retracts its jaws, the snout looks more like a really
long, pink nose. Since this shark frequents deep waters, sunshine does not provide much
light at such levels. The goblin shark, therefore, has very small eyes, and must often rely on
its other senses for detecting predators and prey, as well as for directing movements.
Feeding Habits - The diet of goblin sharks consists of crabs, deep sea fishes, shrimps and
other organisms within its habitat, which covers regions offJapan, Australia, Portugal and
South Africa, as well as portions of the Atlantic Ocean. Its teeth are shaped like long needles
that the shark can manipulate like a grasping claw. Locating meals may be tricky, but once
prey is detected, it stands little chance of escape as soon as the goblin shark sinks in its
teeth.
Cool Fact - The goblin shark’s scientific name honors two men, Kakichi Mitsukuri and Alan
Owston, who both helped with this shark’s discovery at the end of the 19th century.
Depth - 4,265 fee
Great hammerhead sharks
look like oceanic bulldozers, with their large mouths and strange hydrofoil-like heads that end
with bulbous eyes on either side of the “hammer” tips. The unique head is actually an
evolutionary adaptation that allows for superior water navigation. The largest of all
hammerheads, weighing up to 1,012 pounds, they may be found close to the surface inshore
as well as offshore to about 262 feet. Nomadic sharks, the great hammerheads move
throughout their very large range in response to rising or falling water temperatures. The
species favors coral reefs, which can supply food as well as shelter although, aside from
humans, this impressively large denizen of the deep has few enemies.
Feeding habits - The great hammerhead usually feeds on a variety of bony fishes. It may
also consume other (usually smaller) sharks, crabs, skates and squid. Perhaps its most
unusual prey is the stingray. Rays can be fast in the water and they have their own deadly
defense with their poisonous tail-like barb. Those are little deterrence to the great
hammerhead, which will relentlessly pursue stingrays over distances. Aggression by
hammerheads against humans is uncommon, but not unknown. Swimmers, divers, surfers
and other water enthusiasts should respect the space of this toothsome fish when it is
nearby.
Cool fact - Great hammerheads travel lengthy distances, with some populations off the
coasts of Florida and China going toward the polar regions during summer.
Depth - 262 feet
Greenland Shark
The largest member of the dogfish family, the Greenland shark can grow to over 20 feet in
length. This shark prefers cold-water temperatures and will usually only ascend from the
depths if the surface drops to around 33 degrees Fahrenheit. Also called the "sleeper shark,"
this species is often inactive and indeed appears to be sleeping. As its name indicates, the
Greenland shark is found around Greenland, but it also exists in other parts of the North
Atlantic, such as near Iceland. Life may seem to be lonely in the ocean depths, but this shark
often is found with a "best friend forever," a parasitic copepod that lives on the shark's eye
and feasts on its corneal tissue. While the shark does suffer some damage, the relationship
affords benefits. The parasite is bioluminescent. Its glow helps the shark to attract prey,
similar to how a colorful fishing lure may attract fish.
Feeding Habits - Fish constitute the largest portion of the Greenland shark's diet. They may
also consume large sea mammals, such as seals. If something looks like food, however, this
shark will gobble it down. Some Greenland shark stomachs have contained pieces of horses
and polar bears. One shark even consumed an entire reindeer, antlers and all.
Cool Fact - The size of the largest known Greenland sharks remains in dispute, with some
scientists believing this species could exceed many great white sharks in length.
Depth - 6,561 feet
Lemon Shark
Lemon sharks may dive up to 1,300 feet when searching for food, but usually they are
found near shore areas at depths closer to 295 feet. Their unusual coloration sets them apart
from most other sharks. “Lemon” refers to their light brown, yellow-tinged skin. It provides
good camouflage for the sharks, which like to rest over the sandy bottoms of shallow water
regions. From a distance, it is hard to tell where the sand ends and the shark begins. One
clue might be the presence of small reef fishes, such as wrasses, which gather around this
shark to pick off parasites from its gills and skin. This species is most commonly found in the
Caribbean, but it also exists in the western and eastern Atlantic and eastern Pacific from
southern Baja California to Ecuador.
Feeding behavior - Lemon sharks may chase down other sharks as prey, along with large
sea birds, squid, crustaceans, stingrays and eagle rays. This is not an aggressive shark
species toward humans; however, when threatened, this big yellow fish will not hesitate to
inflict a potentially serious, and even deadly, bite.
Cool fact - Its scientific name means “the shark with the smooth teeth and the short snout.”
Depth - 295 feet
Porbeagle Shark
Many sharks and other fish prefer warm water, but porbeagle sharks like to stay cool. They
inhabit coastal regions and the open sea. Like shortfin mako sharks, porbeagles possess a
body heat regulatory mechanism that can raise their temperature several degrees higher than
that of the surrounding water. As a result, they function efficiently in the freezing water off
the coasts of Iceland and Chile. This stocky shark is often included in studies on whether or
not sharks play. That is because several observers have reported seeing porbeagles in groups
of up to 20 individuals manipulating and tossing about floating objects, including lumber and
seaweed. They seem to engage in such activity for no apparent reason other than to pass the
time.
Feeding Habits - The porbeagle shark mainly feeds on schooling fish, such as mackerel,
herring, cod, hake, lancetfish, redfish and haddock. It will also consume shellfish, smaller
sharks (e.g., some dogfish species) and squid. Side projections on the teeth of adults help
porbeagles to gnash through tough prey.
Cool Fact - The porbeagle must keep swimming in order to breathe.
Depth - 1,120 feet
Portuguese Shark
The Portuguese shark holds the world record for the deepest caught shark. Most
individuals live at around 3,000 feet below the surface but, since multiple captures have been
made at around 8,920, it is likely that the shark may even go deeper on occasion. Its name is
somewhat of a misnomer, since the shark is not only found near Portugal. The Portuguese
shark’s range extends throughout the western and eastern North Atlantic, and also includes
parts of the Mediterranean Sea, the Pacific Ocean near New Zealand and waters off the coast
of Japan. Usually this shark grows to about 4 feet in length, with no anal fin and two small
dorsal fins. Small fins seem to be a characteristic of deepwater sharks, giving them a more
standard fishlike appearance.
Feeding Habits - Portuguese sharks most often consume bottom-dwelling fishes, sea snails,
slugs, cowries, limpets, squids and octopuses. This species is also an active scavenger. It
mostly hunts at night, using its unique teeth to pick off prey. Its upper teeth have a long and
pointed shape, while the lower set is broader in shape. The teeth design suggests that the
shark first pierces into prey, as though holding it with a dinner fork, before biting down on
the victim.
Cool Fact - Female Portuguese sharks can give birth to up to 29 young at a time.
Depth - 8,920 feet
Rough Sagre Shark
The rough sagre is also known as the great lanternshark. The name comes from the fact
that many sharks in this family can emit a green light from their bellies. The light results from
organs known as photophores that may line certain parts of the shark’s body. The organs
either emit light from special internal structures, or they derive light from symbiotic
luminescent bacteria. At present, there is some debate as to whether or not the rough sagre
possesses photophores. There is no doubt, however, that this shark is adapted to exist under
very dark conditions. At depths of up to 7,300 feet, this Atlantic Ocean shark is far removed
from any hint of sunlight. One interesting feature of this mysterious shark, which has been
confirmed, is that it possesses denticles on its skin. Denticles are small skin outgrowths that
resemble tiny teeth. Some people even used to employ sharkskin containing these
outgrowths as sandpaper, since it results in a rough surface.
There was no original photo
Feeding Habits - Not much is known about the diet and feeding behavior of the rough
sagre. Its teeth provide some clues. The upper set contains smooth-edged cusps that are
handy for slicing. The lower set is more sharp and angled, which likely helps the shark to hold
onto slippery prey.
Cool Fact - Early Japanese sword makers used to use denticle-covered sharkskin, similar to
what is found on the rough sagre, when making slip-resistant sword handles.
Depth - 7,300 feet
Sand Tiger Shark
Shallow waters are the sand tiger shark’s preferred domains, but they will often dive to
656 feet in their range, which includes the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, eastern and western
Atlantic Ocean, and Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. This shark arguably is the fiercestlooking fish in the world. Its long teeth seem to overtake its mouth. The toothy effect gains
even more emphasis due to the fact that this shark frequently swims with its mouth open,
making it look like it is about to bite anything in sight. Its appearance is deceiving, however,
as the sand tiger shark is usually not a danger to humans unless provoked. The battle waged
inside a mother during her gestation tells another story. Because embryos develop at
different stages, the resulting offspring compete with each other before the mother gives
birth. The largest, with teeth already developed, ends up consuming all of the other eggs and
embryos. Exemplifying survival of the fittest, this larger embryo then develops to become the
mother’s sole offspring.
Feeding Habits - Groups of these sharks have been spotted surrounding schools of bluefish
and attacking nets full of them. Other fish in the shark’s diet include menhaden, cunners,
mackerel, skates, silver hake, flounders, alewives, butterfish, scup, weakfish and bonito.
Virtually all hunting occurs at night.
Cool Fact - Sand tiger sharks can achieve buoyancy by storing surface air in their Balloonlike stomachs
Depth: 656 feet
Short-fin Mako Shark
Shortfin mako sharks have been called “the peregrine falcons of the shark world.” Their
torpedo-like bodies and biochemistry make these the fastest of all sharks. Many attain speeds
up to 22 miles per hour. One shortfin mako was even clocked swimming at 43 miles per hour.
To put that into perspective, the fastest known humans run at around 18 mph. These sharks
live in tropical and temperate offshore waters, most often from the surface to depths of 490
feet. They are found worldwide, most commonly in the western Atlantic from Argentina up to
the Gulf of Mexico.
Feeding Habits - Shortfin mako sharks are aggressive feeders and will not hesitate to attack
when provoked. Some fishermen have reported that these sharks have released themselves
from fishing lines and then proceeded to bite and batter those who were on board the ship.
Humans, however, put a far greater dent on the shark’s population, due to demand for their
meat, fins and hide. In the shark’s own watery domain, the species is a good hunter because
its body temperature is seven to 10 degrees higher than that of the surrounding water. The
heat and energy boost give it a physical advantage over more cold-blooded prey, like
mackerels, tunas, bonitos, swordfish, other sharks, sea turtles and seals.
Cool Fact - Shortfin mako sharks can leap up to 20 feet out of the water into the air.
Depth - 490 feet
Smooth Dogfish Shark
While the smooth dogfish prefers shallow water, it has been found at depths up to 650 feet
below the surface. The shark is one of several known dogfish, a name resulting from the fact
that this type of fish has a tendency to attack prey as a pack, similar to how dogs travel in
packs. Smooth dogfish are often on the go. As a migratory species, they spend much of their
time moving north to south, and back again, across their western Atlantic Ocean range.
Feeding Habits - The smooth dogfish is fairly small for a shark, measuring around 60 inches
long with a narrow body. This species, however, is built to eat. Its flat, blunt teeth can bite
down on even the hardest of prey, such as crabs and lobster. As a scavenger and
opportunistic feeder, the shark also takes advantage of less impressive, yet nutritious, food
sources, including mollusks, small shrimp, worms and almost anything edible that may wind
up in its mouth.
Cool Fact - Smooth dogfish can change their color from dark to light, to camouflage
themselves from predators.
Depth - 60 feet
Smooth Hammerhead Shark
Striking in appearance, the smooth hammerhead shark prefers warm, temperate waters
near the surface. It also often likes to be inshore, so water sports enthusiasts may spot its
ominous-looking tail and dorsal fin sticking out of the water. Underneath the surface lies what
is perhaps this fish’s most unusual feature: its hammer-shaped head flanked on either side by
two large eyes. Widely distributed, this is one of the few shark species that is not currently
endangered. It is most commonly found off the coasts of the North Atlantic and in the Indian
Ocean.
Feeding Habits - Certain photographs of the smooth hammerhead shark provide an eerie
hint of its feeding methods. Due to its white coloration near the mouth, red blood sometimes
can be seen smeared across its face. That is because this fish may consume animals and
even other sharks, including members of its own species. Triangle-shaped, smooth teeth can
pierce through numerous types of flesh. Most frequently, however, this shark will consume
schooling fish that may include herring and menhaden.
Cool Fact - Smooth hammerhead sharks have a keen sense of hearing that allows them to
hear low frequency vibrations, such as those that might be made by a wounded fish.
Depth - 65 feet
Spiny Dogfish Shark
Spiny dogfish are believed to be the most abundant sharks in the world. These small
bottom dwellers seek out water temperatures between 45 to 59 degrees Fahrenheit
throughout their wide range. They may be found in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
“Spiny” refers to mildly poisonous, thornlike spines located in front of each dorsal fin. The
spiny dogfish is one of the most well-traveled sharks, with some individuals migrating more
than 5,000 miles, which is almost equivalent in distance to flying from Los Angeles to New
York City and then back again.
Feeding Habits - Like other dogfish, this species may hunt alone or in packs. An
opportunistic feeder, the spiny dogfish consumes whatever it can sink its impressively sharp
teeth into. The teeth overlap, forming a continuous, knifelike cutting edge. This allows them
to easily chomp through such prey as capelin, cod, haddock, hake, herring, menhaden,
ratfish, krill, crabs, worms, jellyfish, squid, octopus and numerous other ocean inhabitants
from the surface all the way down to over 2,000 feet.
Cool Fact- Because of their relatively large numbers, spiny dogfish are among the bestknown, and most frequently studied, sharks.
Depth - 2,400 feet
The chain catshark
looks like something a modern artist would have designed. Its smooth yellow and brown skin
contains brownish-black markings along its body and dorsal fins. These marks resemble a
chain, hence this shark’s name. As if to match the body, nature provided this fish with yellowgreen eyes. Because of their interesting appearance, these sharks are popular in aquarium
exhibits, but the fish normally inhabit ocean depths around 246 to 1,804 feet, depending on
which portion of their range they are in. The range extends through the western central
Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and all along the continental shelf of the northeastern
United States. Near the U.S., the shark is most abundant in the deep waters off North
Carolina and Virginia. The chain catshark seems to prefer rocky, rough sea bottoms, perhaps
because the nooks and crannies provide places to hide from predators and to hunt for food.
Feeding Habits - Scientists in 1988 conducted a “gut content analysis” of chain catsharks.
This involved cutting open shark stomachs to determine what they recently had eaten. The
study, performed on 81 individuals, determined that 64 percent ate squid; 55 percent
consumed bony fishes; 32 percent ate marine worms, such as the lugworm or clam worm;
and 21 percent had eaten crustaceans, such as lobsters, shrimps and crabs.
The Great White Shark
Carcharodon carcharias
As evidenced by the 1975 movie classic "Jaws," the great white shark has both fascinated
and frightened humans since its ominous presence first became known. These powerful fish
can kill a person with a single bite, but not necessarily because they want to eat us. Studies
suggest surfers and flailing swimmers remind the great white of other prey that it would
normally go after. When presented with human dummies, the sharks showed little interest.
Nonetheless, each year one or more encounters with a great white usually is reported in the
U.S., since the shark's habitat goes all the way from the surface down to well over 4,000 feet.
Feeding Habits - When considering the diet of the great white, it is almost easier to list
what it does not consume, since virtually anything living in its path might be a potential meal.
Favored prey includes fishes like salmon, hake, halibut, mackerel and tuna. It will also eat
other sharks, blubber from whale carcasses, sea turtles, birds, seals and porpoises. When
examined by researchers, one Canadian great white's stomach was found to contain three
entire porpoises. One of this shark's impressive hunting methods involves charging, mouth
open, into a victim from below. The quick bite, made with teeth shaped like arrowheads, may
be all that it takes.
Cool Fact - When a great white attacks, its eyeballs roll back into its head to protect them
from injury.
How the Great White Shark Works?:
Let’s face it. The great white is often typecast to represent everything angry and fierce that
lies in the murky ocean waters. But ponder these quick facts you might not know about the
notorious great white. First, great whites don’t chew their food. (Prompting the question:
How do they eat?) Second, the strength of a shark bite is about 1 ton per square inch. And
consider this third intimidating fact: While in the womb, great white shark embryos feast on
unfertilized eggs, in a cannibalistic practice known as oophagy.
Thresher Shark
Overview - The muscular thresher shark cuts quite a figure as it navigates through its
deepwater domains. Also called the “thrasher shark,” this species possesses a distinctive
large tail that resembles the arc of a rainbow. The tail is so large that it accounts for 33
percent of the shark’s total body weight, meaning that the tail alone may weigh up to 767
pounds. Rarely seen near shore, the thresher shark mostly lives along the continental shelves
of North America and Asia. It has been identified in all of the world’s tropical oceans.
Thresher sharks are solitary. In fact, scientists recently determined that populations in the
Indian Ocean were separated both by depth and gender.
Feeding Habits - Like a giant sea rake, the tail of the thresher shark helps to herd bony
fishes and to whack at them, if necessary, before consumption. Usually this shark’s hunting
technique involves stirring the water around schools of fish, which traps them in a mini
whirlpool. The terrified fish huddle together, making them a perfectly concentrated potential
meal for the shark. It then zooms into the fish huddle, mouth agape.
Cool Fact - The thresher shark can swim at high speeds in short bursts and may even leap
high out of the water if threatened or provoked from above.
Depth - 1,640 feet
Tiger Shark
The distinctive tiger shark lives in both coastal and open seawaters, usually from the
surface to around 459 feet. Young members of this species sport black stripes arranged over
their otherwise gray backs and sides. These stripes can fade as the shark ages, making it
look more like a great white than a tiger shark. Somehow it seems appropriate that this
nocturnal, aggressive shark prefers dark, murky waters. It is adaptable, though, and can live
in everything from river estuaries to lagoons. Solitary animals, tiger sharks may often be
found at their lowest depths during the daytime. When the sun goes down, the sharks then
frequently swim upward to higher levels, moving inshore to shallower waters where they
make their evening dinner kills.
Feeding Habits - The tiger shark is one lean, mean, eating machine. Each of its teeth is
shaped like those found on a circular saw, with a flat and curved hook at the end. A power
saw might not even equal this shark’s power, since it can cut through turtle shells with a
single bite. Aside from turtles, other prey includes bony fish, conchs, crabs, birds, lobsters,
skates, rays, porpoises and even people, if they are unfortunate enough to be around a
particularly voracious and brazen tiger shark. This species will also consume flesh from animal
carcasses that wash out to sea, such as dead rats, house pets and even farm animals, like
cattle.
Cool Fact - Tiger sharks have very wide ranges and may travel thousands of miles between
continents.
Depth - 459 feet
Whale Shark
Incomprehensively enormous, the whale shark is the world’s largest fish. No one has ever
been able to weigh this huge, yet majestic, shark. Estimates suggest it weighs over 13 tons.
The whale shark measures 50 feet in length. White stripes and polka dots cover the upper
portion of its body, mimicking light and seafloor objects to provide this dramatic looker with
some camouflage. The size of the whale shark’s habitat is also large, extending from the
surface to much greater depths. Divers and snorkelers around tropical island lagoons may
spot whale sharks slowly swimming along the surface, but researchers have also documented
this species thousands of feet into the deep.
Feeding Habits - Whale sharks are filter feeders that employ at least two basic techniques
to gather their food. The first is a more passive method that involves the shark swimming
into a school of fish with its mouth open. As it swims, it bobs its head back and forth to
sweep in the greatest number of fish. The shark winds up swallowing everything that flows
in, including old boots and other human garbage. To expel such undesirables, the shark can
later evert its stomach through its mouth to eliminate the debris. Another feeding method
begins with the shark standing on its tail. It then shoots upward through schools of fish,
again with its mouth open.
Cool Fact- In Vietnam, whale sharks are known as ca-ong, or “sir fish.”
Depth - 2,296 feet
White-tip Reef Shark
Overview - The whitetip reef shark does indeed have white tips on its dorsal and caudal
fins, giving the fins a sort of matchstick appearance because the white contrasts with their
tough, dark gray skin. Also, as the name suggests, they live in or around coral reefs, but also
may be found in many of the world’s oceans. Their preferred habitat is in caves and crevices
at coral reefs. Whitetip reef sharks tend to go for water depths between 26 and 131 feet. Its
body allows it to pump water over its gills without propelling forward, so the shark can sit
motionless on the seafloor for hours at a time. As nocturnal fish, they will spend much of
their day in a cave before going out to eat at night.
Feeding habits - Like most night owls, the whitetip reef shark is docile and mostly inactive
during the day, but it really explodes into action at night. A very aggressive hunter, this shark
will do whatever it takes to catch prey. Sometimes it works alone, but at other times it
operates in a pack of other sharks to isolate desired catches. Its primary source of food is
bony fish, including damselfish, parrotfish, surgeonfish, goatfish, triggerfish, squirrelfish and
eels.
Cool fact - Whitetip reef sharks have large, oval eyes that allow them to see well in very dim
light.
Depth - 131 feet