The largest shark to ever live was the massive Megalodon that averaged 50 feet in length. Don’t worry though, these terrifying sharks have been extinct for 16 million years. Jason Momoa, a Hawaiian actor famous for playing Arthur Curry in Aquaman and Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, has a shark tattoo on his left forearm dedicated to his family god or aumakua. The Grey Reef shark ( Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) has been called the “gangster shark” because of its highly aggressive nature. [11]

Most sharks are born alive (viviparous). There are two ways a pup can grow inside the mother. In some sharks, the embryos feed on the yolk attached to their bellies. Other species have an umbilical cord that connects to a mother’s blood supply. A mother shark can give birth to up to 48 pups in one litter. The pups are usually born tail first and might rest beside their mother for a while before swimming away to fend for themselves. [9] Sharks have poor eyesight, so they might think that shiny objects are fish scales. That’s why scientists tell people not to wear jewelry at sea. It’s also a good idea to avoid waters with lots of fish because sharks may come to feed. Maria Rachal, Sharks important to reef conservation, study finds, Australian Geographic, 24 July 2017. While scientists still have much to learn about shark migration, researchers do know that some species get around. Blue sharks (Prionace glauca), for example, roam the North Atlantic on journeys of 1,200 to 1,700 nautical miles (2,220 to 3,145 kilometers). After one record-breaking blue was tagged off New York, it swam 3,740 nautical miles (6,919 kilometers) to Brazil.

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On the list of amazing shark facts, this fact will enthral you. Just as humans can sleep walk, sharks can sleep swim. It’s a necessity for breathing. Continuous forward motion ensures that water flows to their gills. With the brain effectively turned off, the spinal cord takes over to control their movement. Size also determines where a shark hunts. Smaller sharks tend to hunt along the ocean floor, while larger sharks hunt in the middle and by the surface. Survival of the fittest happens even before birth. The first embryos to hatch eat the remaining sleepy eggs or even their smaller siblings. These practices are called oophagy (“eating eggs”) and adelphophagy (“eating one’s brother”). It speeds up their development so they come out as large pups. Following the start of her writing career, Nicola became a senior lecturer in creative writing, at Bath Spa University but has been writing full time for over a decade. She now regularly runs workshops for children and adults to help them find their voices as writers and advocates for nature. In 2017, she was the first recipient of the SLA’s award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Non-fiction and in 2018 had four picture books longlisted for the Greenaway Award.

The oldest known species of living shark in the Goblin Shark that has been around for 120 million years. The second oldest is the Frilled Shark that has been around for 80 million years. An ancient shark called Carcharodon Megalodon (“rough tooth, big tooth”) had the largest shark teeth ever found, measuring more than six inches long. Its jaws were big enough to swallow an entire car, and it was the same length as the dinosaur T-Rex. Some people believe this shark may still exist in deep water. [7] Ready to learn things you didn't know about sharks? You will be amazed by how special sharks really are.

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It’s a mystery that baffles scientists. Around 70% – 90% of shark population disappeared 19 million years ago from sediment records, yet non-shark fish were largely unaffected. There are no known environmental changes or large predators during the time. Among the smallest shark species is the deepwater dogfish shark (Etmopterus perryi). A habitué of the Caribbean, the dogfish measures a less-than-intimidating 8 inches (20 centimeters) in length. It’s a good thing the tooth fairy doesn’t have to dive underwater for sharks, as some species lose up to 35,000 teeth in their lifetime! 7. Over 400 species exist worldwide Sharks are fast and intelligent, and they can only fear humans. Yes, we are their only predators. But their bodies are authentic underwater machines. Sharks tend to look scarier as they age because their new teeth are typically longer than their old teeth • Sharks don’t get cavities probably because they are constantly shedding teeth. Sharks have 40-45 teeth, with up to seven rows of replacement teeth behind them. When a front tooth breaks or falls out, it takes only about one day for a replacement tooth to move forward to the front row. Sharks can go through more than 30,000 teeth in a lifetime. Newer teeth are always larger, so sharks can look scarier as they age. [7]

In 2014 scientists discovered that the elusive chain catshark and swell shark communicate with each other by releasing glowing light from their skin in patterns that are unique to each species and even sex. Invisible to the naked eye, the fluorescent green spots are only visible when a blue filter light is shined on them.The 1975 movie Jaws fueled widespread fear and hatred of sharks, and the shark has been intensely hunted since. It is so endangered that many countries have taken steps to protect it. Ironically, the late Peter Benchley, the author of the book, supported shark conservation. [11] The smallest shark is the dwarf lantern shark, which is only seven inches long. The longest shark is the whale shark, which can grow to a whopping 50 feet long and weigh more than 40,000 pounds. These behemoths are usually gentle and get all their food by sifting small animals out of the water. [4] This Sharks PowerPoint is a perfect way to accompany the shark' poster above - it’s filled with facts and figures, all about where different sharks live, how they’ve evolved, and the diversity you’ll find in this ancient species. Sharks do not have scales. Instead their skin is covered with denticles, which give the skin its roughness. As sharks grow, the denticles fall off and are replaced by larger ones. [2]