Search Results for: shark

The shortfin mako shark is a large, predatory shark that lives in the open ocean and reaches lengths of 12 feet (3.8 m) and weights of at least 1200 pounds (545 kg). With top speeds of 45 miles per hour (74 kilometers per hour), the shortfin mako is the fastest shark and is one of … Read more

The Pacific angel shark is one of 23 angel sharks, noted for their flattened appearance that makes them resemble skates or rays. These flat sharks have broad pectoral fins and relatively large mouths, which they use to create intense negative pressure (suction) when feeding. Though they resemble rays, angel sharks (and other flat sharks) can … Read more

The oceanic whitetip shark is one of the most widely ranging sharks, common throughout the warm latitudes of all oceans. It lives in the open ocean, where it is a predator at the top of pelagic food webs. This species gets its common name from the white tips of its dorsal, pectoral, and tail fins. … Read more

The white shark, named for its stark white underbelly, is perhaps one of the most recognizable shark species today. Known more commonly as the great white shark, this is one of the largest species of sharks with an estimated maximum length of 20 feet (6.1 m), weighing over 4,000 pounds (1,814 kg) fully grown. Like … Read more

Growing up to 40 feet long, or the size of a school bus, the whale shark is the largest fish in the world.  These huge sharks are characterized by their broad and flattened heads as well as the unique “checkerboard” color pattern on their sides and back of light spots and stripes on a dark … Read more

The hammerhead sharks are an unmistakable group of sharks that can be distinguished from all other fishes by the shape of their heads. The wide, hammer-shaped head gives these sharks their common name, and the scalloped hammerhead is named for the notches found along the front edge of its head. Like all hammerhead sharks, the … Read more

With their long, whip-like tails, thresher sharks are one of the most easily recognized species of sharks.  Pelagic thresher sharks are the smallest of the three species of thresher sharks, averaging about 10 feet (3 m)long. They are highly migratory, inhabiting the pelagic waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, including off the coast of … Read more

The megamouth shark is a rare shark and a large species, reaching weights of 2700 pounds (1215 kg). However, it is the smallest of the three species of filter-feeding sharks, behind the whale shark and the basking shark. The megamouth shark gets its name from the remarkably large, circular mouth. On an individual approximately 16 … Read more

Reaching lengths of 24 feet (7.3 m) and weights of 2200 pounds (1000 kg), the Greenland shark is one of the largest sharks in the ocean. Though both large and predatory, this species is not known to be particularly aggressive and is thought to be fairly sluggish in the cold waters of the north Atlantic … Read more