Search Results for: shark

The goblin shark is a fascinating species that lives in the open ocean from near the surface down to depths of at least 4265 feet (1300 m). Like many species with a deep-sea affinity, scientists believe goblin sharks only come near the surface at night and spend most of their lives in the dark. The … Read more

The cookiecutter shark is one of the most interesting sharks in the ocean, and it never grows bigger than 18-20 inches (~50 cm). It gets its common name from its feeding strategy of biting off small chunks of much larger animals. This species is small and lives much of its life in the deep water … Read more

The bull shark is a predatory species that lives in coastal seas and is the shark with the best ability to move into freshwaters – particularly large, coastal rivers and lakes. They are able to move back and forth between saltwater and freshwater with ease. This behavior brings them into more contact with humans than … Read more

The tiger shark gets its name from the characteristic vertical bars that cover the sides of its body. Though these bars fade slightly as individuals reach adulthood, they are very noticeable in juveniles and at least party visible throughout the lifetime. Reaching lengths of at least 18 feet (5.5 m) and 2000 pounds (nearly a … Read more

The frilled shark is a strange, prehistoric-looking shark that lives in the open ocean and spends much of its time in deep, dark waters far below the sea surface. Its long, cylindrical body reaches lengths of nearly 7 feet (2 m), and its fins are placed far back on the body. The frilled shark gets … Read more

Blue sharks are named for the striking blue coloration on their backs, making them the most distinctive of the requiem sharks. The contrast between their white underbelly and dark blue back is called counter-shading and helps provide camouflage for the shark as it swims in the open ocean. The blue shark is one of the … Read more

The nurse shark is one of the most commonly observed sharks on coral and rocky reefs of the eastern Pacific Ocean and the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean. Given that nurse sharks give live birth and that individuals (even juveniles) have relatively small home ranges, it is surprising that all individuals across this large, tropical … Read more

The longnose sawshark is one of seven species of sawsharks, noted for their long, flat rostrum (snout) that is covered with several large teeth on its left and right sides giving it the shape of a saw blade. This saw distinguishes sawsharks from all other species of fishes except the sawfishes. Though they look superficially … Read more

The basking shark is the second largest fish in the world, and like the largest fish (the whale shark) and the largest animal (the blue whale), basking sharks are filter feeders that eat tiny, planktonic prey. Reaching lengths of 40 feet (12 m) and resembling predatory sharks in appearance, the basking shark can give an … Read more