The smallest sharks in the world top 10. The largest shark in the world: what is it called and looks like, how much does it weigh

You all probably know who sharks are. In our article we would like to give you more detailed information for these largest fish in the world. So, the most ancient representatives existed more than 450 million years ago. On at the moment More than 450 species of sharks are known. The habitat of sharks is freshwater, and mainly sea ​​water. The size of sharks can vary greatly depending on the species: from 17 centimeters to 20 meters. We will tell you in this article what the largest representatives of this species are.

Mako shark is in tenth place. She is the largest, fastest and most aggressive predator of the herring shark family. On average, she is capable of developing 70 kilometers per hour in a throw. The jump from the water is 6 meters. A mako shark jumps 6 meters out of the water. The average body size is 3.5 meters. The largest individual that has been recorded is 4.5 meters. This shark poses a danger to humans, but, as a rule, it does not attack first. Interesting fact about mako shark embryos: already in the womb, babies fight for their lives, where only the strongest survive.

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The fox shark ranks ninth. The average size of this type of predatory shark is approximately 5 meters. The largest representatives reach 6 meters. This length the shark has due to its elongated caudal fin. to his long tail sharks actively use it during hunting - they use it as a whip. The hunting method is simple - first the sharks drive the fish into a school with their whip, and then they stun them. The fox shark is capable of jumping completely out of the water. Despite its size and the fact that it belongs to the order of predators, these sharks are shy and they do not attack people. The average lifespan of this shark species is 20 years.

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The sixgill shark is in seventh place. This type of shark is the largest species of marine predators in its family. The average size of these sharks is 4 meters. Weight Limit no more than 600 kg. She is not dangerous to people, but does not like excessive attention, and if there is interest in her, she tries to leave. This shark is inherently slow and clumsy, but during the hunt it is able to develop speed and make throws towards escaping prey. Sixgill shark meat in various forms people can eat.

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Great hammerhead shark ranks sixth. The shark got its name from its enormous body size. Average length a predatory individual is 3.5 meters. The maximum recorded length is 7 meters. Average weight sharks 230 kg. Maximum weight about 600 kg. The diet of these sharks consists of crustaceans, bony and cartilaginous fish. They do not pose a danger to people, but nevertheless you need to stay away from them, because... they belong to the squad predatory fish.

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The tiger shark is in fifth place. The average length of a sea predator is 5 meters. Larger individuals were found up to 7 meters in size. The shark's weight does not exceed 600 kg. They are absolutely indiscriminate eaters and are ready to eat anything that moves: from small crayfish to large crocodiles, as well as whales. That is why this type of shark poses a great danger to humans. In order to reduce the number of dangerous marine predators, sharks are constantly caught and shot.

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The pelagic largemouth shark ranks fifth. This is a species of shark about which very little information has been collected, because... this species was discovered in 1976. It is only known that these individuals live deep in water. The maximum size of the shark is 5.7 meters.

4 White shark

The white shark, or carcharodon as it is also called, is in fourth place. This shark is a killer. It is she who appears in horror films in which there is a shark in the plot. Its jaws are very impressive in their size, as well as their power. This is perhaps the most dangerous of its relatives. The average length of these sharks is 4.5 meters. Average weight is about 800 kg. The maximum recorded size is 6 meters. Life expectancy is about 70 years. Despite his aggressiveness, strength and predatory disposition, white shark- an endangered species. At the moment, there are no more than 3,500 individuals in the world.

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The Greenland shark is in third place. These are the largest sharks living in northern waters. belongs to the largest sharks in the world, living in northern waters. Its average size is 6 meters. Weight - 1000 kg. This type of shark is very slow due to the low water temperature. The shark moves at a speed of 2.5 km/h. The diet of northern sharks is varied: from small fish such as herring to seal. It is worth noting that insidious sharks hunt seals during their sleep.

2 Giant shark

The giant (gigantic) shark is in second place. The length of the giant shark is 9 meters for males, and the female is slightly larger in size. Its length is on average 9.8 meters. Maximum weight - 4 tons. These sharks feed on plankton, and their migration is often driven by the movement of plankton. Following food, sharks are able to cover enormous distances. This type of shark has a peaceful nature; they are absolutely not dangerous to people, despite their size and threatening appearance, especially when the shark opens its mouth. At the moment, these sharks are extremely rare, due to previously unrestricted fishing.

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The whale shark rightfully takes first place in the ranking of the largest sharks. The average body size of this shark is 12 meters. The largest representative was recorded measuring 20 meters. Maximum weight - 36 tons. Life expectancy data from various sources range from 70 to 150 years. The tiger shark feeds on plankton. She does not eat her own kind, as well as large fish. The tiger shark is very slow and its maximum speed is 5 km/h. She is not aggressive, and she does not pose a danger to people. The only danger it can pose to ships is a blow from the tail or body from a sudden collision in the expanses of water.

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If we consider extinct species, then the undisputed winner in the ranking of the largest sharks in the world will be the megalodon. Fossil remains suggest that it reached at least 16 meters in length and could weigh about 50 tons. This superpredator fed on cetaceans and big fish. It was distributed everywhere and, due to its size, had no enemies.

Sharks, the word itself evokes fear and an incomprehensible feeling of panic. But let’s still figure out which sharks are the largest in the world, and whether they are all as dangerous and scary as they seem at first glance.

10th place - Mako shark

Mako shark is one of the most aggressive species sharks from the herring family. She is capable of jumping 6 meters out of the water and reaching a throwing speed of up to 70 km/h. The body size of Mako sharks reaches 3.5-4.5 m. These sharks fight for life even in the womb, they attack each other and only the strongest survive... There have been cases of attacks on people, but as a rule, they were all provoked.

9th place - Fox shark

Despite its impressive body size (6 meters), most of it is occupied by the caudal fin. It is with the help of it that the shark goes hunting; it uses it as a whip, which stuns its prey. But the striking difference between these sharks is that they are not dangerous to humans, since they themselves are very shy.

8th place - Sixgill shark

Its dimensions reach 5.4 meters. At first glance, she is a little slow and does not like to be touched, but when it comes to prey, she shows lightning-fast reactions and almost always hits the target. She is not dangerous for humans, but of course, if you don’t make her angry...

7th place - Hammerhead shark

The body size of this predator is truly impressive - 6.1 meters. Distinctive feature Hammerhead shark is her appearance, the front part of the shark is similar to a hammer, which makes it different from its relatives with a more elongated muzzle. There have been cases of attacks on people. Therefore it is potentially dangerous.

6th place - Tiger shark

One of the largest marine predators. The body size of Tiger sharks can reach 7 meters. Although the most common sizes are approximately 5 meters. For humans, these predators represent real threat, since during autopsies human body parts were often found in their stomachs. Some countries are even taking measures to reduce tiger sharks to avoid danger to people.

5th place - Pelagic largemouth shark

This type of shark was discovered relatively recently, due to the fact that they live mainly in very deep waters. The body size of such sharks reaches 5.7 meters, but scientists believe that there are no more than 60 of them in total, so it is unlikely that you will be able to meet such a shark by chance.

4th place - White shark (Carcharodon)

Surely you have often seen such a shark in scary horror films, and for good reason. Her body measures up to 4.5 meters, but she has incredible jaw clenching strength. If you get caught by such a shark, then nothing can save you.

It is very dangerous for humans because it is not picky about its food. But despite its power and strength, it is an endangered species, and there are no more than 3,500 of them left on the planet.

3rd place – Greenland shark

The top three is opened by the Greenland polar shark. The largest shark in the world, which lives in the icy northern waters. Its dimensions are very impressive (6-7 meters), but it is not inferior in weight, about one and a half tons. Due to the specific habitat conditions (in northern waters), it moves quite slowly, approximately 2.7 km/h. But even such a low speed does not prevent her from feasting on seals that have fallen asleep in the water. It is the slowest fish on Earth.

2nd place - Giant shark

The size of the Giant Shark is truly impressive (9.8 m). Males are slightly smaller than females, but this does not interfere with their hunting. Previously, according to fishermen, there were Giant sharks up to 12 meters, but since they desperately began to exterminate them, now you won’t see them anymore. What’s very interesting is that they treat people very calmly, although you shouldn’t get too close to them because of the sharp scales on their skin that can easily hurt you. The basking shark feeds mainly on plankton and krill.

1st place - Whale shark

So, we got to 1st place. Winner: Whale Shark. The largest living shark. Its dimensions are truly enormous - 12-14 meters. But there are claims that some whale sharks can reach 18-20 meters. The weight is also a little puzzling - 36 tons. In order for such a shark to feed itself, it needs to consume 200 kg of plankton every day. But if you decide to swim alone with such a fish, you can be absolutely calm; the whale shark is not dangerous for humans, since its menu includes only small fish and plankton.

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Sharks are recognized as one of the most dangerous inhabitants seas. Just thinking about it sea ​​creature makes people shiver. It is unknown what secrets the depths of the sea hold, but scientists have managed to compile a list of the largest sharks currently caught. As we found out, sharks are not always dangerous to humans. Oddly enough, but precisely the most large individuals pose the least danger.

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Tiger shark - incredible dangerous look, a devotee of both seas and oceans. This species can rightfully be included in the list of the most common sharks. Distinctive feature - prefer night look life. They are quite dangerous for humans; their huge mouth and powerful jaws inspire great fear. In Hawaii alone, about 3-4 cases of tiger shark attacks on humans are recorded per year. On average, the size of the predator is 3.5 – 4 meters.

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But the Large Mouth Shark does not pose a danger to people. This species was discovered quite recently, in 1976. Few distinctive features were found. It is known that they prefer a depth of 1.5 kilometers, but the sizes of individual individuals reach about 4 – 4.5 meters in length.

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It is possible to meet such a shark as in coastal waters, and in open ocean. Goblin sharks became known to science in 1788, but during all this time not a single case of attack on a person was recorded, because the marine predator prefers not to approach the shores. A distinctive feature is that these fish are capable of diving to a depth of 2500 kilometers. This is where the funny name came from - goblin shark. Individual individuals can reach 5.4 meters in length!

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The first fox sharks were discovered around 1810. They were not noticed in attacks on humans, because they prefer open waters. Despite its size, the length of the fox shark reaches 6 meters, the fish is able to jump out of the water to a fairly high distance. They prefer a depth of no more than 500 meters, and this type of shark does not often reach coastal waters.

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A distinctive feature of the hammerhead shark is its appearance. This species is a very aggressive predator, because its structure allows the fish to develop a relatively high speed. The length of such a shark is 6 meters, and history knows of 34 cases of attacks on humans. The hammerhead shark is currently at risk of extinction.

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The size of the Greenland polar shark is terrifying; its body length is 7 meters, and the weight reaches 1 ton! This species of shark poses a particular danger to seals, especially in winter time year. They prefer coolness and are slow. There are no historical cases of attacks on humans. A distinctive feature is that the Greenland shark is a long-lived shark; the oldest specimen found was no less than 390 years.

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The straightmouth shark (or black shark) is quite fast predator. It is capable of reaching a speed of about 70 kilometers per hour, and if necessary, can jump out of the water to a height of 6 meters. Such features allow us to classify the Straight Mouth Shark as one of the most agile, agile and, as a result, dangerous sea ​​predators. They live at a depth of 600 meters and rarely rise higher.

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The white shark is often called the killer shark, and you can meet the marine inhabitant both in open and coastal waters of the oceans. And if scientists do not recognize the straight-mouthed shark as dangerous to people, then with the white shark things are different. Over the past 20 years, there have been about 140 cases of attack on humans. However, it is worth noting the fact that this type is on the verge of extinction.

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The second place is rightfully occupied by the Giant (Giant) shark. Marine literature talks about encounters with 15-meter-long specimens, but the largest specimen found so far is a female, whose length is 9.8 meters. The weight of the fish is also not small - 4 tons. However, despite its size, the shark is not considered dangerous to humans and even allows brave scuba divers to swim closer.

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And the first, honorable place is occupied by the largest of the now known species – whale shark. The length of such a shark can reach about 18 meters. The incredible size allows the fish to move at a speed of only 5 kilometers per hour. Due to their slowness, whale sharks prefer to be on the surface of the water and not descend to a depth exceeding 70 meters. The whale shark is absolutely safe for humans. Its regularity and slowness allows divers to swim close enough. Of course, it’s better to see once than to hear a hundred times!

The largest sharks in the world seem to people to be ferocious monsters, ready to attack at any opportune moment. This opinion is often erroneous, since the main food for sharks is the inhabitants water depths. But huge predatory fish should not be considered peace-loving creatures either. Encounters with giant sharks have given rise to many legends regarding their size, weight and danger to humans. The ranking presents 10 species of the largest sharks on the planet. These creatures have colossal size and body weight.

10. Mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)

Mako or blue-gray shark porbeagle takes last place in the top ten largest sharks in the world, but far from the least in agility and intellectual development. It has an average body size of 3-3.5 m. ( maximum length 4.45 m) and weighing 554 kg. Rushing at the victim, it reaches a speed of 74 km per hour. In the world it is found in almost all seas and oceans. The mako shark is of great interest to sport fishing enthusiasts. The meat of these unique sharks is also highly prized. Due to fishing, their population is under serious threat. Due to its aggressive nature, excellent maneuverability and large sizes mako sharks represent for people mortal danger. When chasing its prey, a shark is capable of jumping out of the water to a height of up to 6 m.

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fox shark or the common fox shark is characterized by a long, curling tail fin, which is how it got its nickname. The largest in the family and one of the largest sharks in the world. The body size with tail reaches 7.6 m, and it weighs more than 500 kg. It is worth noting that more than half of the total length of the shark is the fin. Inhabits tropical and temperate waters throughout the planet. During the hunt, the fox shark shows cunning: with its tail, like a whip, it drives the victim, and then stuns it with it. Also, its tail helps to maintain balance when jumping after prey, when it rises completely above the water. This type of large shark is very important for humanity: scientists use its liver to create medicines.

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Sixgill sharks- most great view sharks in the polygill family. It is reliably known that the length of the largest specimen was 5.4 meters and weight 590 kg. These predators resemble their prehistoric ancestors more than others with six pairs of gills and ridge-shaped teeth. They are found in the Western Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, other temperate and tropical seas. There are reports of a sixgill shark weighing 700 kg and 7.2 meters long, but there is no documentation to confirm this. These fish are quite slow, but they cannot be called clumsy. The color of the shark is very different: gray, black-gray, brown. It is not dangerous for people and when meeting divers it tries to go to depth. Sharks live alone, during the day they feed on crayfish and crabs at a depth of up to 200 m, and at night they rise closer to the surface to feast on fish.

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Hammerhead shark (hammerhead fish)- one of the most amazing and unusual fish in the world. Inhabits continental shelves and coastal strip tropical waters, sometimes found in open water. So called for its head in the shape of a hammer. It is rightfully one of the largest sharks in the world for its size: depending on the species, it can be up to 6 m in length and weighing about 600 kg. Its bizarre head and graceful fins make it stand out from its other relatives. The shark has a ferocious temperament, but rarely attacks people. In the hunting process, the head of the fish plays a decisive role, because “sensors” run along its front edge that capture the smell and electric field of the prey, and the position of the eyes creates a 360-degree vertical view. There are sharks with the largest heads - a third of the body size. It feeds on shrimp, shellfish, crabs, squid, fish, but most of all the predator likes stingrays and flounder.

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Tiger shark is the most common shark species in the world. Habitat: tropical and subtropical waters throughout the planet. The character is quite aggressive, and given that this species of the largest sharks in the world is often seen in shallow water, in canals and near marinas, they can pose a serious danger to humans. The average size of the giant is 5 m, but scientists believe that it is capable of growing more than 8 m. The shark weighs on average 400-600 kg. So called due to the stripes similar to the color of tigers. Her stomach is like a garbage can, in which you can find a stingray, a snake, a seagull, as well as completely inedible objects - license plates And rubber tires. Powerful teeth and jaws crush everything from shellfish to turtles. To protect vacationers and divers from attacks by these monsters, some countries even shoot them.

The biggest tiger shark, according to the Guinness Book of Records, was 5.5 meters in length and weighed 1524 kg.

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Pelagic largemouth shark- the only representative of the largemouth shark family. Due to the small number of individuals found, scientists are unable to fully study this species. The largemouth shark is one of three species of large filter-feeding sharks that feed on plankton and small fish. She swims in warm and temperate warm waters, most often found off the coast of California and Japan. The body length is 5.7 m, and the weight can reach up to 1.5 tons. The shark owes its name to its large rounded head, short nose and gigantic mouth. The teeth are small, brush-like, and are designed to filter water and hold zooplankton in the mouth. Body color is dark brown and dark gray.

4. White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

Among other types white shark the most ferocious. Such a monster does not disdain humans; more than half of the attacks are carried out by this shark. The average size is 4.5-5 m. There are specimens more than 6 m in length and weighing at least 1900 kg. This fish will also be the fastest of the other sharks. She attacks a person out of curiosity. Lives in all oceans except the Arctic. It is an endangered species; there are only 3.5 thousand of these sharks in the world. Its food consists of small and medium-sized fish, turtles, sea ​​lions, seals, toothed whales.

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Greenland shark belongs to the order Katraniformes, distributed in the north of the Atlantic Ocean. Also found in the waters of Iceland, Greenland, Norway, the Barents Sea in Russia and coastal areas Mexico and Japan. This giant is one of the three most large species sharks in the world. Adult animals can reach 6.4 m in length and weigh a ton! Ichthyologists believe that the Atlantic shark can reach large sizes. The color of the body is brown or dark brown, with small scales. She leads a sedentary lifestyle, has a melancholic character, she is the slowest shark on Earth ( maximum speed 2.7 km/h). During the hunt, it chooses a wait-and-see position and lies in wait for the sleeping prey. Metabolic processes in the body of this shark proceed very slowly, so they live for a long time. In 2010-13 Scientists carbon-dated the eye lenses of several polar sharks and found that the longest specimen tested was between 272 and 512 years old. There is nothing surprising here, because puberty in females of this species of large sharks it occurs at 150 years of age.

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Gigantic shark ranks second in the ranking of the largest in the world. Its size reaches 10 m, and its maximum recorded weight is 4 tons. These sharks are found in all oceans of the planet in waters from moderate temperature. Despite their size and external menacing appearance, they are not dangerous to people. Gigantic sharks eat algae, plankton and small fish and have a friendly character. Because of this, they were exterminated en masse and may be on the verge of extinction. The shark can be observed from a very close distance, as it never attacks divers, but caution must be exercised. With just a twist of its tail, it can break a bone, and its sharp scales can cut your skin.

1. Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)

The prize place goes to the largest shark in the world - whale. It grows more than 12 m in length and can weigh more than 21 tons! In 2002, Chinese fishermen caught a shark measuring 20 m and weighing 34 tons. She inhabits open warm oceans. Eats plankton and small fish average size. The fish population is quite large and they are not in danger of extinction, but they are listed in the International Red Book due to large catches. Fins and other parts of a shark’s body are very expensive, which is why poachers hunt for it. Every day the shark eats 200 kg of fish and zooplankton. It reproduces by ovoviviparity, and newborn cubs are about half a meter in length. He poses no danger to a person; rather, he is to her.

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Megalodon (big tooth)- prehistoric relative basking sharks, extinct approximately 3 million years ago. Today, generally accepted scientific evidence suggests that these animals grew up to 16 meters in length and weighed up to 47 tons. Such body sizes allow Megalodon to be considered not only one of the most large predators, but also the largest shark in the world by weight that has ever lived on the planet.

We looked at the species of sharks that are considered the largest in the world, but among these animals there are also small species. Dwarf lantern shark(Etmopterus perryi) is the smallest shark in the world. Adults reach a length of no more than 21.2 cm. They live in the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Colombia and Venezuela, at a depth of up to 450 meters.

Interesting facts about the largest sharks in the world:

• There are more than 450 species of sharks in the world.
• Contrary to popular belief about the aggressiveness of this predator, only 4 species of sharks have been seen in large quantities unprovoked attacks on humans - long-winged, brindle, blunt-snouted and white.
• Shark fins are a favorite delicacy among the Chinese.
• Some species of sharks have vision 10 times sharper than humans.
• On average, sharks live 20-30 years. The record holders for life expectancy are the spotted spiny shark and the Greenland shark, which live more than 100 years.
• Most species of sharks reach speeds of up to 19 km/h in a jerk. The fastest sharks in the world can be considered the white shark (maximum speed up to 50 km/h) and the mako shark, which can accelerate up to 74 km/h when attacking.
• The largest shark tooth found is 18 cm long and belonged to a megalodon.