The shark is one of the most ancient representatives of the fauna of the planet. In addition, these inhabitants of the water depths are little studied and have always been considered mysterious creatures. People have come up with many myths about such insidious, daring and unpredictable predators, which have also given rise to quite a lot of prejudices.

A huge number of stories, frightening with cruel details, have been spread about sharks across all continents at all times. And such stories about bloody attacks on people and other living beings are not at all without foundation.

But despite all their terrible properties, these creatures of nature, classified by scientists as the phylum Chordata and the order Selachia, are extremely curious in structure and behavior, and have many interesting features.

These are not aquatic mammals, as some believe, they belong to the class of cartilaginous fish, although this is sometimes difficult to believe. Most of them live in salty bodies of water. But there are, although rarely, freshwater inhabitants.

For sharks, zoologists have assigned a whole suborder of the same name as these creatures. It is distinguished by the huge diversity of its representatives. How many types of sharks found in nature? The figure is impressive, because there are neither less nor many of them, but about 500 varieties or even more. And they all stand out with their individual and wonderful features.

Whale shark

The variety of features of the shark tribe is primarily emphasized by the size of these creatures. They vary in a most impressive way. The average representatives of this suborder of aquatic predators are comparable in size to a dolphin. There are also extremely small deep-sea shark species, whose length is only no more than 17 cm. But giants also stand out.

Whale shark

The latter include the whale shark, the largest representative of this tribe. Some multi-ton specimens reach 20 meters in size. Such giants XIX century almost unstudied and encountered only occasionally by sea vessels in tropical waters, they gave the impression of monsters with their fantastic size. But fears of these creatures were highly exaggerated.

As it turned out later, such sedentary giants cannot pose a danger to people. And although they have several thousand teeth in their mouths, their structure is not at all similar to the fangs of predators.

These devices are something like a dense lattice, reliable locks for small plankton, which these creatures feed exclusively on. With such teeth it holds its prey in its mouth. And she catches all kinds of ocean trifles by filtering them out of the water with a special apparatus located between the gill arches - cartilaginous plates.

The coloring of the whale shark is very interesting. The general background is dark gray with a bluish or brown tint, and is complemented by a pattern of rows of large white spots on the back and sides, as well as smaller dots on the pectoral fins and head.

Giant shark

Other representatives of the tribe we are interested in also have the type of nutrition just described ( types of sharks in the photo allow us to examine their external features). These include largemouth and basking sharks.

Giant shark

The last of them is second in size among its relatives. Its length in the largest specimens reaches 15 m. And the mass of such impressively sized predatory fish in some cases reaches 4 tons, although this weight for giant sharks is considered a record.

Unlike the previous variety, this aquatic creature, while obtaining food for itself, does not absorb water and its contents at all. A giant shark simply opens its mouth wide and plows through the elements, catching and filtering what gets into its mouth. But the diet of such creatures is still the same - small plankton.

The coloring of these creatures is modest - brown-gray, marked with a light pattern. They live alone and in schools mainly in temperate waters. If we talk about danger, then man, through his crafts, caused much more harm to such sharks than they did - essentially harmless creatures caused him trouble.

Largemouth shark

These curious creatures were discovered quite recently, less than half a century ago. They are found in warm ocean waters, in some cases swimming into temperate areas. The color tone of their body is brown-black on top, much lighter below. The largemouth shark is not a small creature, but still not as large as the previous two specimens, and the length of these representatives aquatic fauna is less than 5 m.

Largemouth shark

The muzzle of these creatures is very impressive, rounded and wide, with a huge, almost one and a half meter long mouth standing out on it. However, the teeth in the mouth are small, and the type of feeding is very similar to that of a giant shark, with the only interesting feature that the large-mouthed representative of the predatory tribe has special glands that tend to secrete phosphorites. They glow around the mouths of these creatures, attracting jellyfish and small fish. This is how a large-mouthed predator lures prey in order to get enough.

White shark

However, as you might guess, not all specimens from the suborder of sharks are so harmless. It's not in vain that these aquatic predators have inspired terror in man since ancient times. Therefore it is necessary to especially mention dangerous shark species. A striking example of the bloodthirstiness of this tribe is the white shark, also called the “white death” or in another way: a man-eating shark, which only confirms its terrible properties.

The biological lifespan of such creatures is no less than that of humans. The largest specimens of such predators are over 6 m long and weigh almost two tons. The shape of the body of the described creatures resembles a torpedo; the color on top is brown, gray or even green, which serves as a good camouflage during attacks.

White shark

The belly is much lighter in tone than the back, which is why the shark got its nickname. The predator, suddenly appearing in front of the prey from the ocean depths, previously invisible above the water due to the background of the upper body, only in the very last seconds demonstrates the whiteness of the lower body. With its surprise, this shocks the enemy.

The predator has, without exaggeration, a brutal sense of smell and other highly developed sense organs, and her head is endowed with the ability to detect electrical impulses. Its huge, toothy mouth inspires panic in fur seals, seals, and even whales. She also brought fear to the human race. And you can meet such talented in hunting, but bloodthirsty creatures in all the oceans of the world, with the exception of the waters of the North.

Tiger shark

Prefer tiger sharks warm tropical climes, found in equatorial waters around the world. They stay close to the shore and like to roam from place to place. Scientists claim that since ancient times these representatives of the aquatic fauna have not undergone fundamental changes.

The length of such creatures is about 4 m. Only young individuals stand out with tiger stripes against a greenish background. More mature sharks are usually just gray. Such creatures have a large head, a huge mouth, and their teeth are razor-sharp. The speed of movement in water of such predators is ensured by a streamlined body. And the dorsal fin helps to write complex pirouettes.

Tiger shark

These creatures pose an extreme danger to humans, and their jagged teeth can instantly tear human bodies to pieces. It is curious that in the stomachs of such creatures objects are often found that cannot be called tasty and edible at all.

This could be bottles, cans, shoes, other rubbish, even car tires and explosives. From which it becomes clear that such sharks have the habit of swallowing anything.

It is extremely interesting that nature has endowed them with the ability to get rid of otherworldly objects in the womb. They have the opportunity to rinse its contents through the mouth by simply turning the stomach out.

Bull shark

Listing names of shark species, who do not disdain human flesh, the bull shark should also be mentioned. The horror of meeting such a carnivorous creature can be experienced in any of the oceans in the world, with the only pleasant exception being the Arctic Ocean.

Bull shark

In addition, there is a possibility that these predators will stop by to stay in fresh waters, because such an element is quite suitable for their life. There are cases where bull sharks were found and even lived permanently in the rivers of Illinois, in the Amazon, in the Ganges, in the Zambezi or in Lake Michigan.

The length of predators is usually about 3 m or slightly more. They attack their victims quickly, leaving them little chance of salvation. Such sharks are also called blunt-nosed sharks. And this is a very apt nickname. And when attacking, they may well inflict a severe blow on the victim with their blunt muzzle.

And if we add sharp teeth with jagged edges, then the portrait of an aggressive predator will be completed with the most terrible details. The body of such creatures has the shape of a spindle, the body is stocky, the eyes are round and small.

Katran

The waters of the Black Sea are not particularly attractive for the habitat of bloodthirsty sharks. The reasons are the isolation and densely populated coasts, the saturation of the water area with various types of maritime transport. However, there is nothing particularly sad about this for humans, given the extreme danger of such creatures.

Katran shark

But this does not mean that representatives of the described tribe are not found in such areas. Listing types of sharks in the Black Sea, first of all, it should be called katran. These creatures are approximately only a meter in size, but in some cases they can boast a size of two meters. They live for about 20 years.

These sharks are also called spiny spotted sharks. The first of the epithets is awarded to them for the rather sharp spines located on the dorsal fins, and the second - for the light spots on the sides. The main background of the back of such creatures is gray-brown, the belly is white.

Their bizarre shape looks more like an elongated fish than a shark. Katrans mainly feed on small-sized aquatic inhabitants, but with a large concentration of their own kind, they may well decide to attack dolphins and even humans.

cat shark

Cat shark found in coastal waters Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. In black sea ​​waters oh, these predators come across, but rarely. Their sizes are quite small, about 70 cm. They do not tolerate the vastness of the ocean elements, but mostly hang around the coast and at shallow depths.

cat shark

The color of such creatures is interesting and impressive. The back and sides have a dark sandy hue, mottled with dark small spots. And the skin of such creatures is amazing, feeling like sandpaper. These sharks deserve their name for their flexible, graceful and long body.

Their habits also resemble cats. Their movements are graceful, they doze during the day, and walk at night and are perfectly oriented in the dark. Their diet usually consists of fish and other small aquatic inhabitants. For humans, such sharks are completely harmless. However, people eat, sometimes even with great pleasure, this type of shark, like katran meat.

Cladoselachia

Scientists believe that sharks lived on Earth about four million centuries ago, these creatures are so ancient. Therefore, when describing such predators, their ancestors should also be mentioned. Unfortunately, it is now impossible to find out clearly what they looked like.

And their appearance is judged only by the fossilized remains and other traces of the life activity of such prehistoric living creatures. Among such finds, one of the most remarkable is the perfectly preserved imprint of the body of a representative extinct species of shark, left on the shale hills. Such ancient progenitors of present-day forms of life were called cladoselachians.

Extinct species of Cladoselachia shark

The creature that left the imprint, as can be judged by the size of the footprint and other features, turned out to be not particularly large, only 2 m long. Its torpedo-shaped, streamlined shape helped it move quickly in the water element. However, such a fossil creature was obviously still inferior in speed of movement to modern varieties.

It had two dorsal fins equipped with spines, and a tail in many ways similar to the current generation of sharks. The eyes of the ancient creatures were large and keen. It seems that they ate only small aquatic items. And larger creatures were considered among their worst enemies and rivals.

Dwarf shark

Baby sharks were discovered in the waters of the Caribbean Sea only in the second half of the last century. And only two decades after the discovery of this type of shark, they received their name: Ethmopterus perry. A similar name was given to dwarf creatures in honor of the famous biologist who studied them.

And right up to this day from existing shark species Smaller living creatures have not been found in the world. The length of these babies does not exceed 17 cm, and females are even smaller. They belong to the family of deep-sea sharks, and the size of such creatures is never more than 90 cm.

Dwarf shark

Ethmopterus perry, living at great depths of sea waters, has been studied very little for the same reason. They are known to be ovoviviparous. Their body is elongated, their outfit is dark brown, marked with stripes on the belly and back. The eyes of the babies have the property of emitting a greenish light on the seabed.

Freshwater shark

Describing different types of sharks, it would be nice not to ignore and freshwater inhabitants this suborder. It was already mentioned earlier that these aquatic predators, even living permanently in the oceans and seas, often visit lakes, bays and rivers, swimming there only for a while, spending the main part of their life in a salty environment. A striking example of this was the bull shark.

But science also knows species that are born, constantly live and die in fresh waters. Although this is rare. There is only one place on the American continent where such sharks live. This is a large lake in Nicaragua, located in the state of the same name, very close to the Pacific waters.

Freshwater shark

The mentioned predators are very dangerous. They grow up to 3 m and attack dogs and people. Some time ago, the local population, the Indians, had a custom of burying their fellow tribesmen in the waters of the lake, thereby giving the dead to food for carnivorous predators.

Freshwater sharks They are also found in Australia and some areas of Asia. They are distinguished by a wide head, stocky body and short snout. Their upper background is gray-blue; the bottom, like most of its relatives, is much lighter.

Blacknose shark

The gray shark family is the most widespread and numerous of the entire shark tribe. It has a dozen genera, including a huge number of species. Representatives of this family are also called sawtooths, which in itself indicates their danger as predators. These include the blacknose shark.

This creature is small in size (formed individuals reach about a meter in length), but it is for this reason that they are incredibly mobile. Blacknose sharks are inhabitants of the salty element that prey on cephalopods, but primarily on bony fish.

Blacknose shark

Anchovies become their prey, sea ​​bass and other fish of this type, as well as squid and octopus. These sharks are so agile that they can easily steal lunch from even their larger relatives. However, they themselves may well become their victims.

The body of the creatures described, like most members of their family, is streamlined. Their snout is rounded and elongated. Their developed teeth are serrated, which helps blacknose sharks cut down prey.

These sharp devices in the mouth have the shape of an oblique triangle. placoid, special structure scales, more typical of fossil specimens, cover the body of these representatives of the ocean fauna.

Their color can be judged from the name of the family. Sometimes their color is not pure gray, but has a brown or greenish-yellow tint. The reason for the name of the species of these creatures was a characteristic detail - black spot at the tip of the snout. But this mark usually decorates appearance only young sharks.

Such predators are found off the coast of the American continent, usually living in the salty waters washing its eastern part. The gray shark family has earned a reputation as man-eaters, but this particular species does not usually attack humans. However, experts still advise behaving more carefully with such dangerous animals. If you show aggression, you can easily run into trouble.

Whitetip shark

Such creatures also represent the family of gray sharks, but dominate over its other species. The whitetip shark is a powerful predator that will be more dangerous than its blacknose relatives. It is extremely aggressive, and in the competition for prey it usually wins over its family members.

In size, representatives of this species can reach three meters in length, so small sharks can easily become victims of whitetip bullies if they are not careful.

Whitetip shark

The described creatures inhabit the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, but are also found in the Pacific and Indian. Their color, according to the name of the family, is gray, but with a blue shimmering bronze; the belly of this variety is white.

It is not safe for a person to encounter such creatures. It is not uncommon for these daring creatures to chase divers. And although no deaths have been recorded, aggressive predators are quite capable of tearing off a leg or arm of a representative of the human race.

However, man himself causes whitetip sharks no less, and even much more, trouble. And people’s interest in them is explained simply: it’s all about the tasty meat of these fauna representatives.

In addition, the skin, fins and other parts of their body are valued, because all this is used in industrial production. Predatory fishing has caused an alarming decline in the number of such sharks in the waters of the World Ocean.

Dark tip shark

This type is another specimen from the already mentioned family. Such sharks are also called Indo-Pacific sharks, which indicates their habitat. Darktip sharks prefer warm waters and often hang around reefs, channels and lagoons.

Dark tip shark

They often unite in flocks. The "hunched" posture they like to adopt is evidence of their aggressive attitude. But by nature they are curious, so they often feel not fear or a desire to attack a person, but simple interest. But when pursued by people, they are still capable of attacking. They hunt at night, and eat about the same as their relatives in the family.

The size of such creatures is about 2 m. Their snout is round, their body is shaped like a torpedo, and their eyes are quite large and round. The gray color of their back can vary from light to dark shade; the caudal fin is distinguished by a black edging.

Narrowtooth shark

When describing gray sharks, one cannot fail to mention their narrow-toothed brother. Unlike other relatives of the family, which are pampered, thermophilic and strive to live closer to the tropics, these sharks are found in waters of temperate latitudes.

The forms of such creatures are quite unique. Their body is slender, the profile is curved, the muzzle is pointed and long. The color varies from gray-olive to bronze with the addition of pink tones or a metallic tint. The belly, as usual, is noticeably whiter.

Narrowtooth shark

By nature, these creatures are active and fast. Large flocks are usually not created; they swim alone or in a small company. And despite their considerable length of three meters or more, they can often become victims of larger sharks. This species is relatively peaceful, including towards humans. Its members are viviparous, like other representatives of this family.

lemon shark

It earned its name for its yellowish-brown body color, sometimes with the addition of pink tones and, of course, gray, because despite the original coloring, the shark still belongs to the same family. These creatures are rather large and reach a length of about three and a half meters and weigh 180 kg.

They are most often found in the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. They prefer to be active at night, often hanging around reefs and being spotted in shallow bays. Young animals usually hide from the older generation of such sharks, uniting in schools, because if they meet, they may well run into trouble, as well as become prey for other predators.

lemon shark

These creatures eat fish and shellfish as food, but water birds are also among their frequent victims. Childbearing age for representatives of the species, which also belongs to the viviparous type, occurs after 12 years. Such sharks are aggressive enough to give people reason to be very afraid of them.

Reef shark

It has a flat, wide head and a thin body, so much so that with a body length of about one and a half meters, it weighs only about 20 kg. The color of the back of these creatures can be brown or dark gray, in some cases with prominent spots on it.

This species belongs to the genus of the same name from the family of gray sharks, where it is the only species. Representatives of the genus of reef sharks, according to their name, are found in coral reefs, as well as in lagoons and sandy shallows. Their habitat is the waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans.

Reef shark

These creatures often form groups whose members prefer to sit out in secluded places during the daytime. They can climb into caves or huddle under natural eaves. They feed on fish that live among corals, as well as crabs, lobsters and octopuses.

Larger representatives of the shark tribe may well feast on a reef shark. They often become victims of other salt water hunters; even large predatory fish are able to feast on them. These creatures treat humans with curiosity, and with adequate behavior on his part, they usually turn out to be quite peaceful.

Yellowstripe shark

The family of bigeye sharks earned this scientific nickname because its members have large, oval-shaped eyes. This family includes about four genera. One of them is called: striped sharks, and is divided into several varieties. The first of these species to be described here is the yellowstripe shark.

Yellowstripe shark

These creatures are small in size, usually no more than 130 cm. The main background of their body is bronze or light gray, on which yellow stripes stand out. This shark chooses the waters of the eastern Atlantic for its life.

These creatures can often be observed off the coast of countries such as Namibia, Morocco, and Angola. Their diet consists mainly of cephalopods and bony fish. This species of shark is not at all dangerous to humans. Quite the contrary, it is people who eat the meat of such aquatic animals. It can be stored both salted and fresh.

Chinese striped shark

As the name itself eloquently speaks, such sharks, like the previous species, belong to the same genus of striped sharks, and also live in salty waters in close proximity to the coast of China.

Chinese striped shark

It would be nice to add to this information that these creatures are found, in addition to everything, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan and some other countries close in territorial location to China.

These sharks are quite small in size (no more than 92 cm in length, but often even smaller). In view of this, such babies cannot be dangerous for humans. However, their meat itself is edible, and therefore is often eaten by people. The snout of these sharks is elongated. The body, the main background of which is gray-brown or simply gray, resembles a spindle in shape.

Whiskered Dog Shark

Sharks of this species are the only representatives of their genus and family that bear the same original name: whiskered dog sharks. These creatures earned this nickname for their external resemblance to famous animals, impressive folds in the corners of the mouth and mustaches located on the snout.

The members of this species are even smaller in size than the previously described variety: a maximum of 82 cm and nothing more. Moreover, the body of these creatures is very short, and the entire size of the extremely slender body is achieved due to long tail.

Mustachioed dog shark

Such inhabitants of the salty elements prefer ocean depths of up to 75 m, and usually do not rise above a depth of ten meters. They often swim near the very bottom, preferring to live where the waters are especially muddy.

They are viviparous, giving birth to up to 7 young at a time. Due to the hunt for their meat, dog sharks are in very dire straits and may disappear forever from the oceans of the planet.

Such creatures are found, as a rule, along the African coast, and spread in the waters somewhat north until the Mediterranean Sea. Sharks of this type are considered excellent, fast swimmers and excellent hunters. They feed on invertebrates; in addition to the fish itself, they also eat its eggs.

Harlequin shark

Harlequin shark is the name of a genus in the family of striped catsharks. This genus includes the only species of Somali sharks. Unlike most species already described, they are considered ovoviviparous.

Their length usually does not exceed 46 cm; color spotted, brown-red; The body is stocky, the eyes are oval, the mouth is triangular. They live in the western part of the waters Indian Ocean.

Harlequin shark

For the first time, such a variety was described only in the second half of the last century. The reason that these creatures were hidden from human eyes for a long time is understandable. They live at considerable depths, sometimes reaching 175 m.

In any case, such small representatives of the shark tribe, as a rule, do not rise higher to the surface than 75 m. For the first time, such a shark was caught off the coast of Somalia, for which representatives of the species received such a name.

frilled shark

These creatures, belonging to the genus and family of the same name, are remarkable in many respects. Being cartilaginous fish, like all sharks, they are considered a relic, that is, a form of life that has not changed since long ago geological eras, a kind of relic of the fauna. This is indicated by some primitive features of their structure. For example, underdevelopment of the spine.

In addition, the appearance of such creatures is very peculiar, and looking at them, you might rather decide that you see sea snakes, but not sharks. By the way, many people think exactly this way. The frilled shark especially resembles these reptiles at the moments when this predator goes hunting.

frilled shark

Its victims are usually small bony fish and cephalopods. Seeing prey and making a sharp lunge towards it, like a snake, this creature first bends its entire body.

And its mobile long jaws, equipped with slender rows of sharp and small teeth, are quite suitable for swallowing whole prey of impressive size. The brown body of such creatures is covered in front with peculiar skin folds.

Their purpose is to hide the openings of the gills. On the throat, the gill membranes, merging, take the form of a voluminous skin blade. All this is very similar to a cloak, which is why such sharks are called frilled sharks. Such animals are found in the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, usually living at considerable depths.

Wobbegong shark

Wobbegongs are a whole family of sharks, divided into two genera, and they are also divided into 11 varieties. All their representatives also have a second name: carpet sharks. And it not only reflects the features of their structure, it should be considered extremely accurate.

The fact is that these sharks have only a distant resemblance to most of their relatives from the shark tribe, because the body of wobbegongs is incredibly flat. And it was not by chance that nature endowed them with such forms.

Wobbegong carpet shark

These predatory creatures live in the very depths of the oceans and seas, and when they go out to hunt, they become completely invisible to their prey in this form. They merge with the bottom, near which they try to stay, which is also greatly facilitated by the spotted camouflage color of these creatures.

They feed on cuttlefish, octopuses, squids and small fish. The rounded head of wobbegongs is practically one with their flattened body. Small eyes are barely visible on it.

The organs of touch for such representatives of the superorder of cartilaginous fish are fleshy antennae located at the nostrils. Funny sideburns, beard and mustache stand out on their face. The size of these bottom inhabitants depends on the species. Some are about a meter in size. Others may be much larger.

The record holder for this indicator is the spotted wobbegong, a three-meter giant. These creatures prefer to settle in the warm waters of the tropics or, at worst, somewhere nearby.

They are found mostly in two oceans: the Pacific and Indian. Cautious predators spend their lives in secluded places under corals, and they never even try to attack divers.

Brownie shark

Another proof that the world of sharks is incomprehensible in its diversity is the goblin shark, otherwise known as the goblin shark. The appearance of these creatures is so unusual that, looking at them, it is difficult to classify them as a shark tribe. However, these representatives of the ocean fauna are considered to be exactly that, belonging to the Scapanorhynchidae family.

Types of brownie shark

The size of these inhabitants of salt waters is approximately a meter or a little more. Their snout is surprisingly elongated, taking the shape of a shovel or oar. In the lower part there is a mouth, equipped with a large number of crooked teeth.

Such facial features produce an extremely unpleasant impression, but mixed with mystical sensations. That is why such a shark is awarded the names already mentioned. To this we should also add a very strange, pinkish skin that sets this creature apart from other living creatures.

It is almost transparent, so much so that blood vessels can even be seen through it. Moreover, due to this feature, this deep-sea inhabitant experiences painful transformations during sudden ascents.

And at the same time, not only her eyes literally pop out of their sockets, but also her insides come out through her mouth. The reason is the difference in pressure at the depth of the ocean familiar to such creatures and its surface.

Brownie shark

But this is not all the remarkable features of these creatures. Their already mentioned crooked teeth almost exactly copy the teeth of prehistoric sharks, especially since the sharks themselves of this species look like ghosts of bygone eras, preserved at the bottom of the oceans.

The habitat of these rare representatives of the earth's fauna and its boundaries remain unclear. But presumably goblin sharks are found in all oceans, perhaps excluding the waters of northern latitudes.

Mako shark

In size, such a shark is quite large and has a length of more than three meters and a mass of about 100 kg. It belongs to the herring family, therefore, like its other representatives, it is endowed by nature with the ability to maintain a certain body temperature, above the surrounding aquatic environment.

This is an aggressive predator, famous for its manner of ruffling its scales before attacking. Such creatures are sensitive to the smell of possible prey. Such insolent creatures are quite capable of attacking a person, but the human race also does not disdain the meat of such sharks. They may also well end up prey to larger saltwater predators.

Mako shark

The shape of these creatures resembles a spindle; the snout is conical and elongated. Their teeth are incredibly thin and sharp. The upper body has a grayish-blue tint, the belly is noticeably lighter.

Mako sharks live in the open ocean, in temperate and tropical latitudes, and are famous for their swiftness, as well as their ability to perform acrobatic performances. Their speed of movement in water reaches 74 km/h, and when jumping out of it, such sharks rise to a height of about 6 m above the surface.

fox shark

Sharks belonging to this family have received the nickname sea thresher for good reason. The fox shark is a creature unique in its ability to use the natural capabilities of its own tail to obtain food.

For her, this is the most reliable weapon, because it is with it that she stuns the fish on which she feeds. And it should be noted that among the shark tribe, with its own style of hunting, it is the one and only.

fox shark

The tail of this creature is a very remarkable part of the body, with a bright external feature: the upper blade of its fin is unusually long and comparable to the size of the shark itself, and it can reach 5 m. Moreover, such creatures control their tail truly masterfully.

Fox sharks are found not only in tropical, but also in less comfortable, temperate waters. They live in the Pacific Ocean near the coast of Asia, and also often choose the coast of North America for their livelihoods.

Hammerhead shark

This is another extreme amazing creature from a diverse species of sharks. It is absolutely impossible to confuse such a specimen with any of its relatives. The reason is the unusual shape of the head. It is flattened and incredibly expanded, making the shark itself look like a hammer.

Hammerhead shark

This creature is far from harmless. It is not safe for a person to meet with her, because such predators are more than aggressive towards the species of bipeds. The family of such sharks has about 9 species. Among them, the most interesting to mention is the giant hammerhead shark, the largest specimens of which reach eight meters in length.

TO interesting features Such aquatic creatures should be attributed to the presence on the scalp of a large number of sensory cells that detect electrical impulses. This helps them navigate space and find prey.

Silky shark

This creature is classified as a member of the gray shark family. The placoid scales covering its body are extremely soft, which is why the silky shark is named so. This species from the shark tribe is considered the most widespread in warm ocean waters everywhere in the world. Such creatures usually descend no more than 50 m into the depths and try to stay close to coastline continents.

Silky shark

The length of such sharks is on average 2.5 m, the weight is also not the largest - somewhere around 300 kg. The color is bronze-gray, but the shade is rich, giving off a metallic feel. Distinctive features Such sharks are: endurance, acute hearing, curiosity and speed of movement. All this helps such predators in hunting.

Having encountered schools of fish on their way, they simply continue to move rapidly, with their mouths open. Tuna is a particularly favorite prey for them. Such sharks do not specifically attack people. But divers, in case of provocative behavior, should be wary of the sharp teeth of these predators.

Atlantic herring

This shark can boast of numerous nicknames. The most impressive of the names is perhaps “porpoise”. Although the appearance of these creatures, belonging to the herring family, should be considered the most typical for sharks.

Their body is torpedo-shaped, elongated; fins are well developed; there is a huge mouth, equipped, as expected, with very sharp teeth; caudal fin in the shape of a crescent. The body color of such creatures is bluish-gray; large black eyes stand out on the snout. Their body length is about 3 m.

Atlantic herring shark

The way of life of such sharks is constant movement, in which they are from birth until the hour of death. This is their nature and structural features. And they die, sinking to the bottom of the ocean elements.

They live, as the name suggests, in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and they inhabit both the open ocean and its eastern and western coasts. The meat of such sharks has decent taste qualities, although the need for it culinary processing before use still exists.

Bahamas sawnose shark

The species of such sharks, belonging to the sawnose family, is very rare. And the range of these aquatic creatures is ridiculously small. They are found only in the Caribbean Sea, and in a limited area, in the area between the Bahamas archpelago, Florida and Cuba.

Bahamas sawnose shark

A notable feature of such sharks, which gave rise to the name, is a flattened elongated snout, ending in a narrow and long sawtooth outgrowth, measuring a third of the entire body. The head of such creatures is stretched and slightly flattened, the body is slender, elongated, gray-brown in color.

Such creatures use their growth, as well as long antennae, when searching for food. Their diet is almost no different from most members of the shark tribe. It consists of shrimp, squid, crustaceans, and small bony fish. The size of these sharks usually does not exceed 80 cm, and they live at considerable depths.

Photos and videos of shark species

The superorder Sharks (in Latin Selachimorpha) consists of 8 orders, including 34 families.

Currently, in the sea and ocean spaces, less often in large rivers and lakes, you can find 550 species of sharks, but a huge number of these ancient predators became extinct in prehistoric eras.

And at present, some existing groups of sharks are facing complete extinction.

It is impossible to describe everything in one article known species sharks, but it is quite possible to give a general idea of ​​all 8 orders, which include 107 genera.

Orders and families of sharks - list

Sharks different squads differ in appearance, size, lifestyle and a number of other characteristics.

Below we provide a classification of all currently known orders of sharks.

They are arranged in descending order of the number of families.

The large number of shark families, genera and species in the order indicates its prosperity over millions of years, that is, a state of biological progress.

And if there is only one family in the order, and there is one genus in it, and there are only several species in the genus, then this is evidence of the possibility of extinction, or biological regression of this group of sharks.

Watch video - Different types of sharks:

1. Order Carcharhiniformes

Includes 8 families of sharks: Gray, Big-eyed, Whiskered canids, Striped felines, False mustelids, Felids, Hammerheads, Mustelids.

The largest and most numerous of the 8 orders of predators.

More than half of all shark species, about 300, belong to this order.

Representatives of Carcharhiniformes live mainly in coastal regions of seas located in temperate and tropical latitudes.

All sharks included in the squad have 5 gill slits, 2 dorsal fins, an anal fin, and nictitating membranes on the eyes.

List of the most famous representatives of the order Carchariformes:

Photo of a tiger shark

The name of the species comes from the dark “tiger” transverse stripes on the sides of the predator.

One of the most common shark species in the world's oceans.

These large predators can reach a length of 6 meters and a weight of 1.5 tons.

Tiger sharks have a very varied diet, including crustaceans, fish, birds, marine mammals, turtles, other shark species, and sea snakes. Inedible objects are often found in the stomachs of large individuals.

Extremely dangerous for humans.

Watch video - Tiger shark:

Photo of a lemon shark

The shark species is named after its yellowish skin tone. Lemon sharks can reach 3.5 meters in length and weigh more than 200 kg.

Lead predominantly night look life, prefer bays of shallow and medium depth, reefs and river estuaries.

Juvenile sharks often form small schools and live in waters along coastlines overgrown with mangroves.

They hunt fish, shellfish and birds.

They are potentially dangerous to humans, but attack very rarely.

Watch video - Lemon shark:

Photo of a blunt-nosed shark

It owes its name to its short, massive and blunt snout.

One of the most dangerous sharks in the world for humans, as it is highly aggressive and lives in fresh water bodies, periodically attacking domestic animals and livestock in rivers.

Blunt sharks can reach large sizes: lengths of 4 meters and weights of up to 500 kg.

The diet of this species consists mainly of bony fish and small sharks, as well as sea ​​turtles, stingrays, terrestrial and marine mammals, crustaceans and echinoderms.

Most often they wait for their prey in muddy water, where it is difficult to notice the approach of a shark. Because of this feature, unsuspecting people fall into the jaws of the predator.

Before the bite, they make a sharp and powerful blow to the victim, for which they received a second name: bull shark.

Watch video - Snout shark:

Photo of a whitetip shark

The second name for the long-finned shark is long-fin shark: so named for its characteristic long, wide, and rounded pectoral fins, similar in appearance to wings.

The maximum recorded length is 4 meters, and the weight can reach up to 200 kg.

Long-winged sharks feed mainly on bony fish and mollusks.

They pose a danger to humans.

Watch the video - Longwing shark (longimanus):

Photo of a blue shark

The blue shark has an elongated, slender body with long pectoral fins.

The body color is blue on top, becoming lighter on the sides, and the belly is white.

The predator can reach 4 meters in length and weigh up to 400 kg.

This type of shark hunts bony fish, squid, octopus and crustaceans. In addition, the corpses of mammals can serve as food.

Is dangerous for humans.

Watch the video - Blue (blue) shark:

Photo of a silky shark

It got its name for the property of placoid scales - unlike the rough sandy skin of its fellow tribesmen, its skin teeth are elastic and small, which gives it a special “softness”.

The body color is bronze-gray with a metallic sheen, the belly is light.

It can reach a length of 3.5 meters and weight up to 350 kg.

This type of shark has very acute hearing, which helps them quickly detect a food source.

They feed mainly on fish, during a joint hunt they gather them into a group and then quickly attack them.

Doesn't attack people.

Watch video - Silky Shark:

Photo of a reef shark

“Whitetip reef shark” is sometimes added to the name of this species, since characteristic feature Cougars are painted in White color fin tips.

They live in coral reefs.

They are well adapted for hunting in reef areas, extracting found prey from cracks and narrow openings, sometimes breaking out corals with their jaws during the hunt.

They hunt at night for reef fish, moray eels, octopuses, crabs and lobsters.

They reach a length of 2 meters and a weight of 30 kg.

They can show aggression towards a person, but only in response to provocation on his part.

Watch video - Reef sharks:

Cat shark photo

They got their name for their nocturnal lifestyle, excellent eyesight and the ability to curl up into a ball like cats.

This species is small in size, reaching a maximum of 1 meter in length and a weight of 2 kg. They are bottom dwellers, preferring shallow waters.

Cat sharks are nocturnal species of predators whose prey includes crustaceans, mollusks, echinoderms, and gastropods.

Not dangerous for humans.

Watch the video - Cat Shark:

Photo of a hammerhead shark

A characteristic feature of hammerhead sharks is their unique head shape, similar to a hammer.

Unlike other species of their fellow sharks, hammerhead sharks often gather in very large schools during the daytime, numbering hundreds and even thousands of individuals.

Dimensions can exceed 6 meters (type Great hammerhead shark), and weight - no more than 600 kg.

They feed on various types of fish, shellfish and stingrays.

The hammerhead shark is an aggressive predator and therefore poses a danger to humans.

Watch video - Hammerhead shark (hammerhead fish):

Photo of a mustel shark

The marten shark got its name from its habits and appearance in comparison with the land marten, it is a small, flexible, agile, and very voracious predator with a lively character.

Body sizes range from 30 to 220 centimeters, and weight can reach 30 kg.

Hunts small fish, crustaceans, octopuses and mollusks.

Most species of mustelid sharks do not pose a danger to humans.

Watch video - Kunya shark:

Photo of a soup shark

The soup shark owes its name to the gastronomic preferences of people - the predator has relatively large fins, which are used to prepare a delicious soup.

It can reach sizes of 2 meters in length and a weight of 50 kg.

The diet includes bony fish, crustaceans, molluscs and squid.

Due to their small size, they do not pose a danger to humans.

Watch video - Soup shark:

2. Order Lamniformes

Includes 7 families: Fox, Giant, Herring, Largemouth, Scapanorhynchaceae, Sandy, False sandy.

Representatives of the order are mostly large oceanic sharks with a torpedo-shaped body.

They are characterized by the presence of 1 anal and 2 dorsal fins without spines, 5 pairs of gill slits, and the absence of a nictitating membrane.

The order of lamniformes flourished in the Mesozoic, when its representatives made up more than 75% of all sharks in the World Ocean.

The most prominent representative of the detachment in ancient times was.

To date, the number of the detachment has decreased significantly, losing coastal waters and the depths of the ocean to other species of predators.

A significant part of lamniformes are well adapted for high-speed swimming, having a powerful tail part of the body.

List of the most famous representatives of the order Lamniformes:

Photo of a white shark

The most famous and most dangerous of all existing shark species. Known as the great white shark, man-eating shark, white death, carcharodon.

The belly of the predator is white, which is why the shark got its name.

The white shark can reach a length of 7 meters and weigh 1.5 tons. It is one of the largest predatory fish on the planet.

Juveniles feed primarily on fish, while adults hunt marine mammals, birds and other ocean inhabitants.

It is white sharks that hold the lead in the number of recorded attacks on people, including deaths.

Watch video - White shark:

Photograph of a mako shark

The second name is blue-gray shark. It is distinguished by fearlessness, swiftness and agility.

The fastest among all shark species. With the help of a streamlined spindle-shaped body and at a speed of 50 km/h, it is capable of jumping out of the water to a height of 6 meters.

The maximum length of a mako shark is 4.5 meters and weighs about 450 kg.

Hunts mainly for fish.

Dangerous for humans.

Watch video - Mako Shark:

Photo of a herring shark

It got its name from its fish diet, hunting herring fish.

Like some species of lamniform sharks, it has the ability to thermoregulate - maintaining body temperature above water temperature. This property allows herring sharks live in cold waters.

It can reach a length of 4 meters and weigh 500 kg.

Considered potentially dangerous to humans.

Watch video - Herring shark:

Photo of tiger sand shark

A characteristic feature of the body structure is the humpback of the back next to the first dorsal fin.

The sand tiger shark's slightly open mouth is filled with several rows of sharp, protruding, needle-shaped teeth, creating a truly frightening sight.

One of the few shark species that can swallow air to provide neutral buoyancy.

They prefer to live on a sandy bottom near the shore, as well as in river estuaries.

The length does not exceed 5 meters, and the weight can reach up to 400 kg.

Preys on bony fish, stingrays and squid.

The tiger sand shark does not attack people, with the exception of its South African compatriots, who are considered one of the most dangerous in the waters of the black continent.

Watch a video about the tiger sand shark:

Photo of a giant shark

The second name of the species is giant shark. It is distinguished by its particularly large body size, huge mouth and large gill slits.

It is in second place after the whale shark in size among all sharks: the predator reaches a length of 10 meters and weighs up to 4 tons.

Like the whale shark, it feeds on planktonic organisms, swimming with its mouth open and filtering water through gill rakers.

Despite the large size of the body and jaws, it is completely safe for humans.

Watch video - Giant shark:

Photo of a largemouth shark

As the name suggests, the shark has a very large mouth, allowing, along with the whale and giant shark effectively feed on planktonic organisms.

It is a rare species: at the beginning of 2017, scientists discovered only 105 largemouth sharks.

Prefers deep waters up to 1.5 km.

Dimensions can exceed 5.5 meters and weight up to 1.5 tons.

Not dangerous to humans.

Watch a video about a largemouth shark:

Fox shark photo

Distinctive feature sea ​​fox- very long upper lobe of the caudal fin.

This is the only shark that uses a unique method of hunting: the predator uses its large tail to kill fish with powerful whipping blows.

In pursuit of fish, it often jumps out of the water.

The fox shark reaches a length of 8 meters, and half the size can be the tail fin. Weight Limit is about 500 kg.

It does not attack people and poses no danger.

Watch video - Fox shark:

Photo of a goblin shark

One of the most terrible, ancient and least studied species of sharks. Second name: goblin shark.

The unique features of this shark are: a long beak-like outgrowth on the top of the skull, jaws extending far outward, and pink coloring.

Goblin sharks can grow to sizes of 4.5 meters and weigh 300 kg.

They live at depths of more than 200 meters. The diet includes deep-sea squid, crabs and fish.

It is considered potentially dangerous to humans, but due to its rarity and living at great depths, the chances of accidentally encountering a goblin shark are close to zero.

Watch video - Goblin Shark:

3. Wobbegong-like order

It includes 7 families of sharks: Saddle sharks, Baleen sharks, Asian cats, Carpet sharks, Collar sharks, Whale sharks, Zebra sharks.

A significant part of the representatives of the order hunts in the benthic region in shallow water or at medium depth.

The prey consists mainly of mollusks and small crustaceans.

The whale shark, the largest fish on the planet, belongs to the wobbegong-like species.

List of the most famous representatives of the wobbegong-like order:

Photo of a nurse shark

It is not known for certain what exactly gave this species its name. According to one version, the name in English "nurse shark" was a corruption of the word "nusse", which referred to cat sharks.

According to another version, scientists of the last century simply believed that since these sharks are viviparous, they must somehow feed their young. And even for the purpose of protection, it’s like hiding them in your mouth.

According to the third version, they were nicknamed nannies for the characteristic sounds of smacking during the capture of prey, which occurred due to its being sucked into the mouth of the predator.

Nurse sharks are bottom predators that prefer shallow waters. They can often be found in shallow water.

At the ends of the snout they have elongated antennae - organs of touch, with the help of which the predator explores the seabed for the presence of prey: mollusks, sea urchins, crabs, octopuses and small fish.

The length of the shark can reach 4.5 meters and weigh up to 120 kg.

Nurse sharks are safe for people, which is what some divers and tourists take advantage of.

Watch the video - Nurse Shark:

Photo of a carpet shark

The different names of these sharks (carpet, baleen, bearded) are associated with their impressive appearance - along the entire perimeter of the snout to the very pectoral fins, the shark is covered with numerous outgrowths of various shapes, and the body is multi-colored and looks like a carpet.

They are bottom-dwelling sharks. They hunt crabs, octopuses, fish, other sharks and rays.

They can grow up to 3.5 meters in length and weigh 100 kg.

They do not pose a danger to people, but can attack when provoked.

Watch a video about the carpet shark:

Photo of a zebra shark

Nature has endowed the young of this shark species with a protective coloration - alternating dark and light transverse stripes, similar to the coloration of land zebras.

With increasing age, the stripes disappear - adult sharks become similar to spotted leopards.

Zebra sharks live in warm waters ah, preferring the shallow depths of coastal waters.

They reach 3.5 meters in length and weigh up to 70 kg.

The predator's diet consists of crustaceans, mollusks and small fish.

The zebra shark is not aggressive and does not pose a danger to people.

Watch video - Zebra shark:

Photo of a whale shark

The whale shark (the peace-loving giant, as scientists call it) is the largest fish on the planet. The size of large individuals can reach up to 20 meters, and weight - up to 20 tons.

Prefers warm waters throughout the world's oceans.

It is a poorly studied and rare species.

Whale sharks feed on planktonic organisms and small schooling fish, sucking aggregations of them into their big mouth, and then filtering out the food thanks to a filtering apparatus paired with gill arches.

This one is slow giant fish does not pose any threat to humans.

Watch video - Whale shark:

4. Order Katraniformes

Includes 7 families of sharks: Short-thorn, Dalatium, Smallmouth, Star-thorn, Luminous, Centrinidae, Katranova.

The second name of the order is spiny sharks. It is second in number after Carcharinaceae.

All species are characterized by ovoviviparity and the absence of an anal fin.

The order is distinguished by the presence of a single species of shark, polar, living in cold latitudes.

List of the most famous representatives of the order Katraniformes:

Photo of Katran shark

The katran, or spotted spiny shark, is one of the most common species of sharks, which is also found in the Russian seas: Azov, Baltic and Black.

A distinctive feature of the katran is the presence of prickly spines on the dorsal fins, which perform a protective function, as well as the color of the body, which is covered with small white spots.

The predator hunts for small fish, squid, octopus, shrimp and crabs.

The average size of a spiny shark is 1-1.5 meters, but large individuals can grow up to 2 meters and weigh about 20 kg.

The most common question among Russian residents is: is the katran shark dangerous in the Black Sea? Spiny sharks do not attack people; a person can only be injured by their sharp spines.

Watch video - Katran Shark:

Photo of polar shark

The polar shark (also known as the Greenland shark) is unique in its ability to live in the cold waters of the North Atlantic. They feel good at depths of up to 2 kilometers.

One of the largest species of sharks - the size of adult individuals can reach 8 meters and weigh 1.5 tons.

Photo of frilled shark

By shape long body a shark looks more like a snake. A very rare deep-sea species.

The cloaked shark, or frilled shark, was nicknamed for the numerous folds on the surface of the body, similar to a crumpled cloak.

The number of gill slits is six on each side.

The length of a shark can exceed 2 meters, and its weight can reach 50 kg.

Preys on fish, cephalopods and small sharks.

It poses no danger to humans.

Watch video - Frilled shark:

Photo of a sixgill shark

The shark is called a sixgill because it has six pairs of gill slits.

They can be found at depths of over 2.5 kilometers.

The size of large individuals does not exceed 6 meters, and their weight reaches 700 kg.

Due to their wide habitat, sixgill sharks consider fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, rays, other sharks, and sometimes seals as prey.

Considered harmless to humans.

Watch video - Sixgill shark:

Photo of a sevengill shark

This type of shark is called the sevengill due to the presence of seven gill slits on both sides of the body.

They live in all subtropical and tropical seas at great depths.

The length of sevengill sharks does not exceed 1.5 meters. Flat-headed relatives reach a length of 2-3 meters and weigh up to 100 kg.

They hunt invertebrates, fish, stingrays and other sharks.

Due to their aggressive nature they pose some threat to humans.

Watch video - Sevengill shark:

6. Order Squatiniformes

Includes one family, Squatinidae, aka Flat-bodied sharks, aka .

Photo of an angel shark

Representatives of the order - 23 species of angel sharks - live in tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans, and have an appearance atypical for sharks.

The flattened body, the shape of which is associated with a benthic lifestyle, and wide pectoral fins that resemble wings make these sharks similar to stingrays.

However, unlike them, angel sharks have gill slits not located below, but on the sides; movement in the water column is accomplished by movements of the tail, not the fins; there are small sensitive antennae on the snout.

Angelfish prey on small bottom-dwelling fish and invertebrates.

They grow up to 2.5 meters in length, reaching a weight of 80 kg.

They pose a danger to humans only in case of provocation.

Watch video - Angel Shark:

7. Order Heterodonates

Includes only one family, the Hedgehogs, aka Bulls, aka .

Photograph of a horned shark

The squad is represented by 10 species of sharks.

The thick head has pronounced supraorbital ridges resembling horns, which explains the name horned shark.

And they were called heterodentous for the presence of teeth of different shapes on the jaws: small sharp teeth in front (grabbing) and large blunt ones (crushing) behind.

Horn sharks are bottom predators.

Their diet consists of sea urchins, mollusks, crabs and other bottom dwellers.

Horned sharks differ from most viviparous sharks in that they lay oddly shaped eggs.

Large individuals do not exceed a length of 2 meters and a weight of 40 kg.

The gill slits are located on the sides of the body, not on the bottom;

unlike stingrays, sawnose sharks have tactile antennae on their rostrum;

The rostrum itself of selachians usually has a tapering shape, while in skates it is of uniform width;

in size, sharks of this species are significantly inferior to stingrays, growing up to a maximum of 2 meters, while saw-tailed stingrays can exceed 6 meters in length;

The teeth of the shark rostrum are of different sizes, and, as a rule, alternate with each other. Stingrays have teeth of the same size;

sawnose sharks prefer to stay in the deeper waters of the open sea, while stingrays live mainly in shallow waters.

Sawnose sharks are bottom predators; they use their sawtooth rostrum for hunting, “plowing” sand or silt with it. Having detected the prey with its sensory organs, the shark begins to swing its sharp saw, injuring the victim.

The diet contains fish, shellfish, squid and crustaceans.

In embryos, the sharp teeth are pressed against the rostrum by the soft shell so as not to injure the mother and other young. The membrane comes off after birth.

The saw shark is not dangerous to humans.

Watch video - Saw Shark:

Briefly about ancient shark species

From the point of view of evolution, the superorder of sharks is one of its most successful projects. Judge for yourself - over several time periods spanning hundreds of millions of years, sharks were not only able to survive, but also developed significantly.

Together with stingrays, they formed an independent branch among sea ​​creatures – cartilaginous fish(Chondrichthyes).

Today, 550 species of sharks are known and documented, and this list is far from complete, because it is not possible to detect and discover all types of sharks due to the lack of knowledge and vastness of the World Ocean.

Man cannot freely explore the ocean depths - researchers still do not have the necessary deep-sea vehicles with powerful and efficient equipment.

Unlike us, sharks move freely through the ocean without needing air or suffering from pressure at great depths.

Some species of modern sharks exist only in photographs, they were caught by accident and only once - no one has ever seen them again.

For example, Scymnodalatias sherwoodi or dog shark - this species was described from a single specimen caught more than a hundred years ago off the New Zealand coast.

Scientists suggest that this rare view small sharks spend their lives at great depths (about 3 kilometers) and therefore practically nothing is known about them - deep-sea descent and research using portholes, searchlights and bathyscaphe manipulators are extremely ineffective.

Ancient sharks from the age of dinosaurs

Sharks are the recognized leaders of the evolutionary race. If you compare the results of the evolution of sharks and dinosaurs, the latter lose.

That’s right - in the Jurassic period, traditionally considered the era of dinosaurs, there were about 800 species of dinosaurs, while there were about 2-3 thousand species of sharks!

The first sharks actively explored the World Ocean 200 million years before the appearance of dinosaurs. These types of sharks are known from those found and ancient.

Perfect marine predators suffered several global catastrophes that killed thousands of other species - each global cataclysm made sharks stronger, and evolution gradually took them to a new qualitative level.

Sharks are not primitive - they are different, unique. Think about it: how many living creatures are there on the planet today, whose development period spans hundreds of millions of years?

Scientists consider the Carboniferous period (360-286 million years ago) to be the first stage in the development of modern sharks - during this period, powerful cataclysms greatly reduced the number of armored fish (placoderms), which had long reigned in the seas.

The sharks did not hesitate and hastened to capture new territories, changing and forming new species of the most bizarre forms.

For example, the species of Stethacanthus sharks (lat. Stethacanthus) - on top of the males of these half-meter sharks, behind the snake-like head, there was a strange flat fin ending with many small teeth like a grater. This design of the fin “with teeth” gave rise to many theories about its purpose: it could be a suction cup for hitchhiking, a means of protection from enemies and attack in battles for females.

Photo of the extinct Cladoselachia shark

Cladoselachians did not have the “signature” of modern sharks, i.e. their skin was completely bare and unprotected.

Another feature of these ancient predators baffles ichthyologists - complete absence pterygopodia (male genital organs), i.e. all the fossil remains found differ only in size and are completely identical in appearance.

However, the absence of scales and visible reproductive organs did not prevent Devonian cladoselachians from successfully existing for 100 million years.

Mentioning ancient sharks, it is impossible to ignore the legendary one, the size of which excites the minds of even the most skeptical scientists.

Carcharodon Megalodon is considered the most gigantic predator among all creatures that have ever inhabited our planet. Its dimensions could reach 30 meters in length and weight exceed 40 tons.

The oldest predators of the seas and oceans are sharks; there are about 400 of their species in the world out of the 8 orders represented. Originating back in Jurassic period, fish have a perfect body, ideally adapted to life and hunting. All types of sharks differ in size, habitat, and only some pose a danger to humans.

There are about 400 species of sharks in the world from the 8 groups represented

Characteristics and features of sharks

As large as the World Ocean is, so great is the diversity of fish in it; each individual is unique in its own way and has characteristic differences. This also applies to sharks; there are representatives 15-20 cm long and 15-20 meters long, whose weight reaches 30 tons. But not all predators are as scary as people see them; some of them are dangerous only for small fish or shellfish.

The body structure, behavior, and hunting style of sharks of all species are similar; the common features are as follows:

• The cartilaginous skeleton makes sharks more mobile and dexterous; there are no bones in their body, only cartilage.
• There is no swim bladder, which is a vital organ for ordinary fish. Buoyancy is provided by a huge liver, fins and cartilaginous skeleton.
• The surface of the body is not covered with scales, but rather strong and tough skin with tiny teeth.

  

  Sharks do not have a swim bladder, which means they need to be on the move at all times.

• Many species of sharks are viviparous, and a minority of the order lay eggs (rather than eggs, as ordinary fish), from which fully formed young, not fry, are subsequently born.
• The arrangement of teeth in several rows and their constant renewal.
• Respiratory organ - gill slits.
• All sharks have excellent vision, hearing, which allows them to detect low frequencies of infrasound, and a sense of smell. A predator can smell the smell of blood several kilometers away.

A special feature is the absence of chewing teeth, i.e. when meeting prey, the shark tears it into pieces and swallows the pieces without chewing. When hunting, the predator develops a speed of 20-30 km/h, warm-blooded animals up to 50 km/h, the usual speed of movement is 5-8 km/h.

The average life expectancy is 30 years, but there are also long-livers whose life span exceeds 100 years, mainly whales, polar sharks or sand katrans.


Sharks live up to 30 years on average, but there are also centenarians who live up to 100 years

Types and differences

The classification of the superorder of sharks is represented by 8 orders and includes 34 families, representatives of which differ from each other in body shape, size and even hunting style, some of them are absolutely safe for humans, but there are species with which it is better not to joke.

List of shark squads:

1. Carchariformes.
2. Varieties.
3. Polybranchiformes.
4. Lamniformes.
5. Wobbegong-shaped.
6. Sawtooth.
7. Katraniformes.
8. Flat-bodied.

In total, oceanologists know about 400−420 different species of sharks, including ancient and endangered ones. There are about 300 species of the most popular and frequently encountered.

Carcharhiniformes or Carcharidae

This order is the largest of all, it consists of three hundred species and eight families. The place of residence of these individuals is coastal zones seas of the tropical and temperate zones, the highest concentration in the waters of the World Ocean, as well as the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. Some individuals have been spotted in fresh waters and deep waters.

Carcharid representatives are dangerous to humans. The most popular types:

Most individuals of the carcharid species are quite large in size and have good hunting abilities.

Heterothed, bovine or horned

The species combines 9 families, but quite recently there were more of them, this is due to the extinction of some of the most ancient subspecies. Representatives with different teeth are united by an unusual appearance: a large head with formations in the eye area, an oval mouth, the presence of a spine on the dorsal fin and 5 gills. A characteristic feature that distinguishes them from other families is that their teeth are different in shape and size; in front they are sharp, capturing prey, and in the depths of the mouth they are grinding.

Different-toothed specimens are not as scary as people imagine them to be, the basis of their diet is small marine inhabitants.

Different-toothed animals do not attack people, but there was a recorded case when a shark bit an annoying scuba diver, but there were no marks left on the skin. The species reproduces by laying eggs at the bottom of coastal areas.

Polybranched representatives

The species contains 5-6 families of fish that have one fin and 6-7 gill slits; they do not have blinking in the eyes and a spine on dorsal fin. The size and shape of the body differs depending on the variety.

The most famous representative of polygill sharks is the sevengill shark.

The most famous representative is the ash sevengill shark - a voracious and very active resident of the warm waters of the coasts of China, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, southern Brazil, North Carolina and Cuba. It can be found at the bottom of the continental plume at depths of up to 720 meters. The sevengill feeds on bony fish, crustaceans, scalefish, serpentine mackerel or sabrefish. The predator is very active; once caught in a net, a specimen can behave quite aggressively towards the fisherman.

The family also includes the frilled shark, which is more similar to a conger eel. Its body is elongated, its muzzle is short, its anal fin is larger than its dorsal fin. The genus also includes several extinct species.

Lamniformes and Wobbegongiformes

Real torpedoes underwater world are represented in the Lamniformes family. Sharks have 2 dorsal fins, one lower fin and five pairs of gills; there is no nictitating membrane on the eyes. Some individuals feed on smaller fish, even relatives and mammals, so you should avoid them and not swim in the neighborhood.

Most famous families: Sand, False Sand, Herring, Goblin shark, etc., are represented by the following species:

The largest sharks include the Wobbegong genus; their body length ranges from 70 cm to 20 meters. Specimens live more on the bottom and prefer to feed on cuttlefish, crabs, crayfish, squid and other mollusks. These include: saddle sharks, spotted saddle sharks, Asian cats, Persian cats, zebra sharks and others.

These are just isolated examples of what kind of sharks there are in each species, but in fact there are many more of them and it is simply impossible to list them all. Oceanologists cannot finally answer the question of how many species of sharks exist, because all of them have not yet been fully studied and the evolution of the oldest animal in the world occurs every day.

A shark is a formidable sea predator, persistently pursuing its goal to the end and rarely retreating. It is not for nothing that people who are purposeful, persistent in achieving their goals, and tenacious are also called sharks.

But today we will talk specifically about representatives of aquatic fauna.

These predators belong to the chordates, class cartilaginous, superorder “sharks”. “Shark” in the Russian interpretation dates back to the times of the Vikings, who called all fish “hakall”.

On our territory in the 18th century, dangerous marine inhabitants were called this way, and this name was pronounced “sharks”.

Most sharks are found in salt waters, but some specimens are also found in fresh waters.

Description of the shark and structural features

As a result of the diversity of species, the length of sharks varies from 20 cm (small bottom sharks) to 20 m (whale sharks) with a weight of 34 tons.

The peculiarity of the structure of the shark skeleton is that it is completely boneless and contains only cartilage. The streamlined body is covered with embossed scales with protrusions as strong as teeth, which is why it is called “skin denticles.” Pay attention to the photo of the shark.

The shark breathes through slits in the gills located in front of the pectoral fins.

The shark has low blood pressure and therefore needs to be in constant motion to support its heart, stimulating blood flow and causing constant muscle contractions.

However, there are also individuals that can calmly lie on the bottom and pump water through their gills.

Another structural feature is the absence of a swim bladder, unlike other bony fish.

The shark swims due to its huge liver, which makes up 1/3 of the mass of the predator, low cartilage density and fins.

Thanks to its elasticity, sharks' stomachs can accommodate enormous amounts of food. But the acidity of the gastric juice is not always enough to digest such a mass, as a result of which the shark has to get rid of the excess on its own, but without harming the stomach.

Sharks' vision is 10 times greater than that of humans. She hears with the help of her inner ear and is able to perceive infrasounds and low frequencies.

One can envy the shark’s sense of smell, because it smells both in the air and in the water latitudes. Predators are especially sensitive to the smell of blood; this is equivalent to a teaspoon for an entire swimming pool.

When moving, sharks reach speeds of no more than 5-8 km/h, and when chasing prey, almost 20 km/h. A white shark can reach speeds of almost 50 km/h.

The life cycle of these dangerous inhabitants is on average about 30 years, although whale sharks, polar sharks and southern dogfish sometimes live more than 100 years.

The teeth of this dangerous predator are long and sharp in the shape of a cone. The gray shark has flat, sharp teeth that are capable of tearing large prey to pieces.

The whale mainly feeds on plankton, which is why its teeth are small, about 5 mm, but their number is several thousand.

The horned species of shark consumes bottom food with the help of small teeth in front and large teeth in the back. In cases of damage or loss of teeth, they are immediately replaced with new ones that grow inside the mouth.

The size of the teeth varies for each species. So, in a white predator, the tooth is 5 cm, and in individuals that feed on plankton - 5 mm.

Habitats

There are plenty of places on earth where sharks live. They are especially common in the waters of the equator and the seas adjacent to it, in reefs and water areas off the coast.

Some types of sharks are able to live in any water, such as gray and blunt-snout sharks. A comfortable depth for them is about 2000 m, sometimes 3000 m.

Predator feeding

Each species has its own diet and preferences. But most prefer the fish assortment. Deep-sea species feed on crabs and other crustaceans.

White sharks even prefer seals fur seals and cetaceans, while the tiger eats everything indiscriminately. They feed on plankton and small things: largemouth, whale, giant.

Species of sharks

Modern catalogs of the varieties of these dangerous creatures number almost 450 species, these are 8 orders:

• Carcharine sharks. This order includes 48 genera and 260 species. These include: hammerhead shark, silky shark, tiger shark, blunt-nosed shark, etc.;
• Sharks are heterogeneous. These include: zebra bull shark, helmeted bull shark, Mozambique bull shark;
• Polygill sharks: frilled shark, sevengill shark, etc.;
• Lamniform sharks: giant, fox, herring, false sand, sand, etc.;
• Wobbegong sharks: there are 32 species. The most famous of them is the whale one;
• Sawtooth sharks, includes one species: sawtooth sharks.;
• Catraniform sharks include 112 species. The most famous of them are: southern katran, nogotitsa;
• Sharks are flat-bodied. Looks like a stingray.

Features of reproduction

The sexual maturity of sharks is a rather long process. Many females reach it at 10 years of age, and whales reach it at 30-40 years of age.

Sharks are characterized by internal fertilization: some lay eggs, others are characterized by ovoviviparity, and others by viviparity. The incubation period lasts from several months to 2 years, depending on the species.

One clutch contains 2-12 eggs. Fertilized eggs are covered in white, which is topped with a horn-like film to protect them from predators.

The baby that is born immediately begins an independent life. Sharks in captivity are capable of fertilization without males.

In ovoviviparous sharks, the cubs that hatch in the womb remain in the oviducts for some time and eat unfertilized eggs, and then, as they grow up, their fellows. Therefore, one cub is subsequently born. The length of a newborn white shark is 155 cm, and that of a tiger shark is no more than 76 cm.

Danger to people

According to statistics, the countries with the highest number of dangerous attacks on people are: USA, Australia, Brazil, South Africa and New Zealand.

But according to unconfirmed data: African countries, regions of Mozambique, Tanzania and Ghana. It is worth noting that this most often occurs in ocean waters.

From time immemorial, people have associated the character of sharks with cruel killers and universal evil. There are many legends about the atrocities of killer sharks.

Of course, all this is too exaggerated, thanks to wild imagination. Sharks do not like human meat at all, and will most likely spit it back out. This diet is not for them.

Shark photo

The topic of our article is sharks, the internal structure of which we will consider in the following order:

• Skeleton and muscles;
• Nervous system: brain and sense organs;
• Circulatory system;
• Breath;
• Digestion;
• Genitourinary system.

Skeleton and muscles of a shark

Let's start studying the internal structure of sharks with the musculoskeletal system, which includes the skeleton and muscles. The skeleton of predatory fish consists of a skull, an axial skeleton, a skeleton of paired fins and their belts, and a skeleton of unpaired fins.

The skull is represented by the braincase and the visceral region, including the jaws and gills.

The brain box consists of cartilage tissue, protecting the brain from all sides. Only in the upper part there remains a hole (fontanelle), which is not overgrown with cartilage during the formation of the skull, but remains covered with a connective tissue film.

Behind the jaws there are paired cartilaginous arches of gills, connected by unpaired cartilages - copulas.

The skeleton of the shoulder girdle is represented by a semi-ring-shaped cartilage, on the sides of which there are processes for connection with the three basal cartilages of the pectoral fins. From the basal cartilages there are three rows of thinner radial cartilages and from the latter there are thin filaments of elastin.

The pelvic girdle is simpler in structure and has a cartilaginous plate lying in front of the cloaca slit, to which one row of radial fin cartilages is attached. Elastin threads also extend from the radial cartilages.

Watch the video: Anatomy of a shark - dissection and study of the internal structure

Unpaired fins (caudal, anal and dorsal) have a skeleton consisting only of radial cartilage and elastin filaments. The spine extends into the dorsal fin and into its upper section.

Spiny sharks do not have an anal fin, but have a dorsal fin, which gave the name to the family.

The muscular system of the shark’s internal structure is very developed and consists of myomeres (muscle segments) surrounded by a connective tissue membrane.

The muscular system is abundantly supplied with blood, since movement is life for a shark. After all, in order for the blood to return back to the heart, only the pressure created by the heart is not enough. And muscle contractions come to the rescue.

Watch video - Structure of the muscular system of a white shark:

Shark nervous system and sensory organs

The nervous system is represented by the brain and spinal cord, from which nerves extend to organs and tissues.

It is still believed that vision in elasmobranchs is poorly developed, but is compensated by smell and sensitivity to electrical impulses.

At the bottom of the oral cavity there is a small fold of mucous membrane - the tongue, which does not have muscles. Then the food enters the pharynx.

To prevent food from falling out of the gills, sharks have cartilaginous outgrowths on their gill arches - gill rakers.

The pharynx passes into the esophagus, through which food enters. The stomach of some sharks has the ability to “turn inside out,” freeing itself from undigested and inedible food debris.

The stomach is joined by the small intestine, which passes into the large intestine and then into the rectum. The large intestine has a spiral valve, which is an outgrowth of the mucosa that increases the absorption surface.

Read more in the article

A protrusion extends from the large intestine - the rectal gland, which secretes an odorous secretion to attract individuals of the opposite sex.

Sharks also have a very large liver (which serves part of the function), gall bladder and pancreas.

Remains of food enter the cloaca, where the ducts of the genitourinary system open.

Genitourinary system of sharks

Among the organs of the urinary system, sharks have kidneys, which in males act as an appendage to the testis, and ureters.

The reproductive system of sharks is represented, as we have already mentioned, by testes in males, from which seminiferous tubules with an expansion at the end extend into the cloaca, and by ovaries in females.

Watch the video: Shark genitourinary system - structure and operation

It is worth noting a unique feature of the internal structure - the absence of kidneys and urinary tracts. Urine and the ammonia contained in it are washed out by the blood and excreted directly through the skin of the predator.

All types of sharks have a similar mechanism for thoroughly processing urine, but polar sharks treat their urine most carefully.

The fact is that, for example, the urine of land mammals contains many valuable microelements and fresh water, which they wastefully remove through the urinary tract.

Sharks in this regard are very economical. Every drop of fresh water, as well as a share of valuable microelements, is extracted from urea before everything unnecessary is released through the pores in the skin.

This careful attitude predators to their urea led to extreme saturation of polar shark meat with ammonia, giving it an unpleasant odor.

Sharks are characterized by internal fertilization. A mature egg falls into the abdominal cavity and rolls into the funnel of the oviduct, where fertilization occurs. The oviduct contains shell glands that form the shell of the egg.

At the end of the oviduct there is an extension - a kind of “uterus” in which the eggs ripen.

During ovoviviparity, sharks hatch from the eggs in these “wombs,” which may even be immature eggs.

If the shark is not viviparous, but oviparous, then the maturation of the embryo and its hatching from the egg will occur in the external environment.

Scientific discovery of 2016