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Animals
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Fishes
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Chondrichthyes
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shark
shark
Do you like shark?
What are they like?
Shark (superorder Selachimorpha) are fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a streamlined body. They respire with the use of five to seven gill slits. Sharks have a covering of dermal denticles to protect their skin from damage and parasites and to improve fluid dynamics. They have replaceable teeth. They are some of the world's most misunderstood predators, as they very rarely attack humans unless intimidated. In fact, humans kill around 26 to 73 million sharks every year, compared to 5 human deaths every year. Much of this comes from killing them for their fins, which usually consists of the catcher cutting off the fins while the sharks are still alive, then throwing them back in, where they usually die. Sharks include species from the hand-sized pygmy shark, Euprotomicrus bispinatus, a deep sea species of only 22 centimetres (9 inches) in length, to the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, the largest fish, which grows to a length of approximately 12 metres (41 feet) and which, like the great whales, feeds only on plankton through filter feeding. The bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, is the best known of several species to swim in both salt and fresh water (it is found in Lake Nicaragua, in Central America) and in deltas.
How do they look like?
Which classification do they belong to?
Class:
Fishes
Group:
Chondrichthyes
How can I learn more about these animals?
We recommend that you read the book displayed on the left.
We also offer a number of science classes on animals that you might be interested in:
Backyard Animals
Ocean Animals
Snakes
Land Turtles
Water Turtles
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