These creatures are beautiful, relentless and always hungry. They never sleep, and they plow the sea waters at night like homing torpedoes in search of a target. In this article I will tell you about the most famous shark species, as well as about the white shark, the most formidable of the sharks, living off the coast of South Australia and South Africa.

We have already written about the most unusual of the sharks - this is the Goblin Shark. Now it's time to talk about other shark species. Let's start with the White Shark. They have a strong reputation as the most dangerous marine predator, but they are also the most important orderlies of the ocean. They attack from below to investigate what floats on the surface




The great white shark can jump high out of the water, as if soaring above the surface of the ocean




Think of an old horror movie called Jaws ... Imagine a huge sea monster emerging from the depths of the ocean:





The tiger shark is the fourth largest predatory shark. It is a solitary hunter, usually hunting at night. The name comes from the dark stripes on the lower body. This shark often attacks swimmers, surfers and divers in Hawaii. It is also called the ocean wastebasket, as it often grabs any debris floating on the surface into its mouth.




A bull shark is often seen in shallow water, where it can rush at high speed. They are quite aggressive, attacking other animals and people who have invaded their territory. Scientists believe that this particular type of shark is the most dangerous to humans


This photo captures the Shark Shortfin Mako, responsible for eight attacks on humans and about 20 attacks on boats.

But in size, even the largest shark of our times will seem like a small fish compared to the size of prehistoric monsters like this Liplurodon:


Here are some interesting facts about sharks:

The shark has no bones in its body, and the skeleton is made of cartilage.
- There is a shark species in New Zealand called the Swell Shark. This shark can bark like a dog
- Many strange things have been found in the stomachs of the caught sharks, such as a bottle of wine, gold coins, a drum, a torpedo and many other unusual items
- Shark skin is covered with fine teeth, razor sharp
- Not all sharks live in warm or tropical waters; for example, there are species that live in the waters of the Arctic at depths of up to 600 meters, for example, the Greenland shark. In size, it reaches the length of the Great White Shark, but there have been no cases of its attack on people, but there are rumors that these sharks appeared in river mouths and attacked polar bears. The Greenland shark also has virtually no vision:


The largest mouth in a rather rare species - the large-mouthed shark. In addition, this mouth can glow to attract plankton to the light. Nothing was known about the existence of this species until 1976. Currently, only 46 of these sharks have been found.




And here is another very rare species - a ghost shark. These sharks are quite different from others in their appearance. Another difference between her and other sharks is that she lays eggs:




This was an overview of shark species. Who knows, what other strange creatures live in the bowels of the ocean, the most unexplored part of the Earth? In continuation, I advise you to read about

Anyone who still thinks that the biggest fish on the planet is blue is deeply mistaken. Whales are ranked among the class of mammals, and among them he really is the best. And here whale shark is the most the largest living fish.

Description and features of the whale shark

This gigantic hid from the eyes of ichthyologists for a long time and was discovered and described relatively recently - in 1928. Of course, in ancient times there were rumors about an unprecedented size of a monster living in the depths of the sea, many fishermen saw its outlines through the water column.

But for the first time, the scientist from England Andrew Smith was lucky to see with his own eyes, it was he who explained in detail to zoologists about its appearance and structure. The fish caught off the coast of Cape Town, 4.5 meters long, was named Rhincodon typus ( whale shark).

Most likely, the naturalist caught a teenager, since the average length of this underwater inhabitant ranges from 10-12 meters, whale shark weight - 12-14 tons. The most great whale shark, discovered at the end of the last century, weighed 34 tons and reached a length of 20 meters.

It got its name not for its impressive size, but for the structure of the jaw: its mouth is located strictly in the middle of the head, like in real whales, and not at all in the lower part, like in most of its shark relatives.

The whale shark is so different from its counterparts that it is isolated into a separate family, consisting of one genus and one species - Rhincodon typus. The massive body of a whale shark is covered with special protective scales, each such plate is hidden under the skin, and on the surface you can see only razor-sharp tips resembling teeth in shape.

The scales are covered with an enamel-like substance vitrodentin and are not inferior in strength to shark teeth. Such armor is called placoid and is present in all types. The skin of a whale shark can be up to 14 cm thick. Subcutaneous fat layer - all 20 cm.

The length of a whale shark can exceed 10 meters

From the back, the whale shark is painted dark gray with bluish and brown streaks. Light whitish spots of a rounded shape are scattered over the dark main background. On the head, fins and tail, they are smaller and chaotic, while on the back they form a beautiful geometric pattern of regular transverse stripes. Each shark has a unique pattern, similar to a human fingerprint. The gigantic shark's belly is off-white or slightly yellowish in color.

The head is flattened, especially towards the end of the snout. During feeding, the mouth opens wide, forming a kind of oval. Whale shark teeth many will be disappointed: the jaws are equipped with small teeth (up to 6 mm), but the number will surprise you - there are about 15 thousand of them!

Deep-set small eyes are located on the sides of the mouth; in especially large individuals, the eyeballs do not exceed the size of a golf ball. Sharks do not know how to blink, however, if any large object approaches the eye, the fish pulls the eye inward and covers it with a special skin fold.

Fun fact: whale sharkLike other representatives of the shark tribe, when there is a lack of oxygen in the water, it is able to turn off part of its brain and go into hibernation to conserve energy and vitality. It is also curious that sharks do not feel pain: their body produces a special substance that blocks unpleasant sensations.

Whale shark lifestyle and habitat

Whale shark, dimensions which is caused by the absence of natural enemies, slowly plows the vastness of the oceans at a speed of no more than 5 km / h. This majestic creature, like a submarine, slowly glides through the water, periodically opening its mouth to swallow food.

The location of whale shark spots is as unique as human fingerprints

Whale sharks are slow and apathetic creatures that show neither aggression nor interest. You can often find whale shark photo almost in an embrace with a diver: indeed, this species does not pose a danger to humans and allows you to swim close to itself, touch the body or even ride, holding on to the dorsal fin.

The only thing that can happen is a blow with a powerful shark tail, which is capable, if not kill, then it is great to cripple. According to scientific studies, whale sharks keep in small groups, less often one by one, but sometimes, in places of seasonal accumulation of school fish, their number can reach up to a hundred.

So, off the coast of Yucatan in 2009, ichthyologists counted more than 400 individuals, such an accumulation was caused by the abundance of freshly spawned eggs, which sharks feasted on.

Including cetaceans, they must constantly be in motion, since they do not have a swim bladder. The fin musculature helps the fish's heart to pump blood and maintain sufficient blood flow for life. They never sleep and can only sink to the bottom or hide in underwater caves to rest.

Sharks are helped to stay afloat by their huge liver, which is 60% adipose tissue. But for a whale shark, this is not enough, it has to float to the surface and swallow air in order not to go to the bottom. The whale shark belongs to the pelagic species, that is, living in the upper layers of the world's oceans. Usually it does not sink below 70 m, although it can dive to 700 m.

Because of this feature, whale sharks often collide with large sea vessels, cripple or even die. Sharks do not know how to stop or slow down sharply, because in this case the flow of oxygen through the gills is minimal and the fish can suffocate.

Whale sharks are thermophilic. Surface waters in places where they live are warmed up to 21-25 ° С. These titans cannot be found north or south of the 40th parallel. This species is found in the waters of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Whale sharks also have their favorite places: the east and southeast coast, the Seychelles archipelago, the island of Taiwan, the Gulf of Mexico, the Philippines, the Australian coast. Scientists estimate that 20% of the world's population lives off the coast of Mozambique.

Whale shark feeding

Paradoxically, but whale shark is not considered a predator in the usual sense. With its colossal size, the whale shark does not attack other large animals or fish, but feeds on zooplankton and small fish that fall into its vast mouth. Sardines, anchovies, mackerel, krill, some types of mackerel, small tuna, squid and the so-called "live dust" - that's the whole diet of this whopper.

It's amazing to watch this giant feed. The shark opens wide open its huge mouth, the diameter of which can reach 1.5 meters, and captures sea water along with small living creatures. Then the mouth closes, the water is filtered and exits through the gill slits, and the strained food is sent straight to the stomach.

We have a whole filter apparatus, consisting of 20 cartilaginous plates, which connect the gill arches, forming a kind of lattice. Small teeth help keep food in your mouth. This way of eating is inherent not only whale shark: giant and the bigmouth is eaten in the same way.

The whale shark has a very narrow esophagus (about 10 cm in diameter). To push a sufficient amount of food through such a small hole, this huge fish has to spend about 7-8 hours a day getting food.

Shark gills pump about 6000 m³ of liquid per hour. The whale shark cannot be called a glutton: it eats only 100-200 kg per day, which is only 0.6-1.3% of its own weight.

Reproduction and lifespan of a whale shark

For a long time, there was almost no reliable data on how the whale shark reproduces. It has only recently begun to be successfully kept in captivity, in huge aquariums, where such giants are quite free.

Today, there are only 140 of them in the world. Thanks to modern technologies that make it possible to create such grandiose structures, it has become possible to observe the life of these creatures and study their behavior.

Whale sharks are ovoviviparous cartilaginous fish. In your womb whale shark long 10-12 meters can simultaneously carry up to 300 embryos, which are enclosed in special capsules like eggs. Sharks hatch inside the female and are born as completely independent and viable individuals. The length of a newborn whale shark is 40-60 cm.

At birth, babies have a sufficiently large supply of nutrients that they can not feed for a long time. There is a known case when a living shark was pulled out of a harpoon shark and placed in a large aquarium: the cub survived, and began to eat only 17 days later. According to scientists, the gestation period of a whale shark is about 2 years. During this period, the female leaves the group and wanders alone.

Ichthyologists tend to believe that whale sharks reach sexual maturity with a body length of 4.5 m (according to another version, from 8). The age at this point may be 30-50 years.

The life expectancy of these giant marine life is about 70 years, some live up to 100. But individuals that have lived 150 years or more are still an exaggeration. Today, whale sharks are monitored, tagged with radio beacons, and their migration routes are tracked. There are only about a thousand such "marked" individuals, how many still wander in the depths is unknown.

About the whale shark, white or something else, you can talk for hours: each of them is a whole world, a small space and an immense universe. It is foolish to think that we know everything about them - their simplicity is apparent, and the availability of study is illusory. Having lived on Earth for millions of years, they are still full of secrets and never cease to amaze researchers.

One of the oldest species of animals, mysterious and poorly studied, is sharks, or, as they are also called, selachia. Many myths and legends surround this representative of the marine fauna and form a prejudice against the amazing fish. The Selachians began to systematically study during the Second World War, during the battles in the basins of the Pacific and Indian oceans. The task was to find a means of protecting people from sea predators attacking them.

A shark is a fish or a mammal

The list of these marine predators includes more than 400 species, which are polarly different: from the shallowest deep-water one, barely growing to 17–20 cm, to the giant - the whale shark, a huge 20-meter multi-ton individual.

The name "mammal" speaks for itself. Those animals that feed their young with milk are called "mammals".

The shark does not feed its cubs with milk, in addition, the shark breathes with the help of such a device - "gills". Shark is a fish.

In size, of course, these predators are comparable to dolphins or some species of whales. But in the sea kingdom there are many of the same size, but different in content.

In the modern classification of the animal kingdom, sharks and rays constitute a subclass of Sharkiformes, which belongs to the class of Cartilaginous fish... Cartilaginous fish, mammals, as well as humans form a single type for a number of similar features - Vertebrates.

The skeleton of bony fish consists entirely of bones, in sharks there are only cartilage... A large amount of calcium makes cartilage hard and strong. A curved, impressive mouth is placed on the bottom of the head.

The large and soft caudal fin is asymmetrical - the upper lobe is much larger than the lower. Bony fishes move freely with their lateral fins, unlike selachia.

Bony fish and shark, what are the similarities and differences

Mammals and shark, what are the differences

One of the unique properties is electroreception, the ability to feel electrical and magnetic signals environment. It is used to detect prey, orientation in space, to maintain communication with its congeners.

Electroreceptor sense organs are present in selachians and rays, as well as in some species of bony fish. Of mammals, the Australian platypus and, presumably, the echidna can boast of the presence of electroreceptors. Lorenzini ampoules - so called electroreceptor apparatus predators, which she successfully uses at the time of the attack.

In the process of evolution, the relief of the Earth changed - oceans arose in place of land, or, conversely, continents went under the water column. Some forms of life disappeared, others appeared. Selachians alone continued to exist for almost 500 million years. Some representatives of this unique and poorly studied species have hardly changed.

The largest specimen is fossil carhadon, the ancestor of the great white shark. Its size was restored from the found fossilized teeth, the size of which is 10-15 cm. It is believed that seven people could fit in its mouth. The smallest living representative of the species - dwarf glowing shark only 7 cm long.

The existence of the species is approximately 420-450 million years old. For such a long time, many legends and legends about the sea predator have developed. The menacing animal began to be studied in detail during the Patriotic War, during the battles in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

There are 400 different species from the smallest to giants... Moreover, they can be clearly opposite to each other. Thanks to Hollywood films, we know about the bloodthirstiness of this animal and the ability to smell blood for many kilometers. But in fact, shark species are still very little studied. And not all of them are aggressive.

Shark - mammal or fish

Mammals are animals that feed their offspring with milk. And our predator does not, and besides, it also breathes with gills. Shark is a fish.

The shark is the most complex and unique organism. Over the years, adapting to changing habitat conditions, she has become the perfect hunter. Excellent hearing, sight, smell, size make her a truly frightening creature. During the study by specialists of this species, a similarity between bony fish and animals was found.

The main differences between fish and mammals

• Fish have no milk. Mammals feed their young with milk.
• Caring for offspring. The predator gives birth to genetically strong offspring that does not need care and training in the skills of foraging. The little storm of the seas knows how to hunt and distinguishes enemies from friends.
• The shark is always on the move, practically does not sleep.
• The largest number of senses.

Shark habitats are salt waters of the seas. There are varieties of fresh sharks. In depth, they rarely go deeper than two thousand meters.

Anatomy and physiology of an underwater predator

The peculiar structure distinguishes the shark from many inhabitants of the seas and oceans. The skeleton of this individual has no bones. They are replaced by cartilage. Due to the high calcium content in the shark's body, the cartilage is quite strong.

The shape of the body, like a torpedo, indicates the speed of the fish. The speed is approximately 8 km / h. In pursuit of prey, it can reach 19 km / h. The fastest shark - Mako develops a speed of 50 km / h.

The head is quite large. The skull is a cartilaginous box. On the sides are the orbits and the brain is located between them. The scales are diamond-shaped with a spike at the end. The surface resembles sandpaper.

The mouth is wide. The mouth is located at the bottom of the head. The jaws are equipped with several rows of teeth. They fall out as they wear out and grow in the next row of teeth. One of the most toothed fish. The structure and shape of each subspecies is different. In deep water, they are flat with an uneven surface. Sharp and long in predators. In the largest individuals, they are large, wide and jagged. In plankton, small and small 3-5 mm.

The gill slits are located behind the head. Oxygen is supplied by passing water through the gills.

The swim bladder allows the fish to stay on the surface of the water. Sharks don't have it. The large liver, fins, and cartilaginous skeleton provide buoyancy. They have to constantly be in motion in order to be able to breathe, and therefore practically do not sleep. Experts believe that some species of sharks sleep like dolphins, observing what is happening with one eye.

The caudal fin has its own characteristics. Symmetrical or asymmetrical. The fin of the majority has an asymmetrical shape, most of which looks up.

Numerous experiments by specialists have confirmed the sensitivity of sharks to odors. By smell, the predator gets food, finds a partner. Most often they react to the smell of blood and restless behavior of prey. 14% of the brain is involved in information processing. The smell catches not only in water, but also in the air. For this, it raises the muzzle to the surface of the water. The dissolved blood is sensed in a ratio of 1: 1,000,000.

Vision. The structure of the eye has certain features that make it possible to see in poorly lit places. A blinking eyelid that protects the eye is another structural feature. The eyelid closes during attacks on the victim. Sharks without eyelids roll their eyes during an attack.

The inner ear allows some shark species to hear infrasound. And also serves for balance.

An exclusive property is electroreception. Allows you to navigate the terrain. The ability to recognize electrical and magnetic signals allows you to quickly and accurately find food and communicate with your own kind.

Reproduction

Although a shark is a fish, it does not spawn like most fish. There are three types of offspring:

• Viviparous. The development of the embryo takes place inside the body. Completely independent creatures are born.
• Oviparous. Lays several eggs packed in capsules that are able to support the life of the embryo for a long time.
• Ovoviviparous. Carrying inside the body.

A distinctive feature of offspring is adaptability to life from the first days of existence.

Food depends on the habitat and the type of animal. Most are carnivores or omnivores. The food is fish, crustaceans, mammals or plankton. After a hearty dinner, she goes without food for a long time.

Life expectancy scientists note on average 20 or 30 years. The longest-lived spotted spiny sharks live up to 100 years.

What kind of sharks should you be afraid of? Eminent ichthyologists and famous scientists argue that one should be wary of all, without exception, individuals of the "toothy family", whose length is more than 1 meter.

However, among the many existing shark species, the most aggressive and bloodthirsty representatives can be distinguished, meeting with whom definitely does not bode well, often ending fatally for humans.

So, the 10 most dangerous sharks that have won worldwide fame for their ferocious disposition; 10 cold-blooded killers that should be avoided by all those who value their own lives.

Watch Video: 10 Most Dangerous Sharks - BBC

10. Aggressive lemon shark

Merging with the color of light brown sand, it poses a huge danger to bathers, lying motionless for hours on the shallows, passing water through the gills and being ready to inflict a swift retaliatory attack on any, even the most insignificant provocation.

Lemon sharks are extremely sensitive to sudden movements, they are curious, vindictive and have an excellent memory. This sharp-toothed short-winged creature lives mainly in the warm Caribbean Sea, near the Bahamas and the Gulf of Mexico, but sometimes it can also be found in the waters of the Atlantic.

Due to its adaptability to significant fluctuations in salt concentration, the lemon shark can swim even in fresh waters.

9. Blue shark - fatal beauty

In the penultimate, ninth place is another shark with an unusual color, this time blue. In blue, or the back is indigo, the sides are painted in blue tones, and the belly is perfectly white.

This bright, spindle-shaped predator with long pectoral fins can be found in tropical, subtropical and temperate Pacific regions.

Nature has deprived these fish of the ability to distinguish colors, rewarding in return with excellent orientation and sensitive recognition of subtle contrasts.

The length of the blue shark is on average 3-4 meters, and opinions about its aggressiveness are often contradictory, but most researchers agree that these fish are extremely warlike and are ready to attack the enemy at any time.

Photo: Blue Shark

8. Dangerous shark with a formidable tool

Eighth place in the "hit parade" belongs to the shark, which has a brownish or dark olive color of the back and the most unusual, hammer-shaped head. Habitats that cannot be confused with any other species are tropical and subtropical, and sometimes temperate latitudes.

You can meet her not only in the open sea, but also in shallow water, where attacks most often occur. On average, its size is 4-5 meters, but the length of some individuals reaches 7 meters or more.

This ancient fish with a frightening appearance and long sawtooth teeth is distinguished by maneuverability, high speed and mercilessness towards the enemy.

It deserves its reputation as one of the most dangerous sharks by right - many cases of attacks by representatives of this species on people have been documented.

It is especially risky to meet her during breeding, for which, ironically, she chooses popular and crowded places on the beaches of Hawaii, Florida and California.

Hammerhead shark photo

7. Terrifying sand shark

On the seventh place of the "hot ten" is, the length of which can reach 4.5 meters.

Gray-brown back, rounded dark yellow spots on the sides and off-white belly - these are the external data of this deadly fish that lives in the subtropical and tropical latitudes of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, as well as in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Its mouth is equipped with a huge number of thin, long, sharp and curving teeth, which, coupled with the serious size of this shark, leaves the enemy almost no chance of success in a duel.

The sand sharks that live in the waters of South Africa, where the largest number of attacks on humans with a fatal outcome for the latter, have earned a reputation as the most ruthless predators.

Sand shark photography

6. Deadly Coral Reef Guardian

Sixth in the list of the most dangerous sharks is occupied, armed with large triangular teeth with jagged edges and having a length of about 2 meters.

As the name suggests, the preferred habitats for this fish are rocks and coral reefs located in the Red Sea, as well as the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

The high speed and maneuverability of the gray reef shark is provided by the torpedo-shaped body, which has a gray color with a characteristic black edging on the tail.

Cruel and merciless, she is able to go into a rage even from the slightest vibrations of the water and immediately attack the source of irritation. Having nervously circled around the victim, it arches its back, opens its mouth and makes a swift attack - this is how an attack of a gray reef shark looks like.

Watch the video - Why are killer sharks from the TOP-10 dangerous?

5. Armor-piercing mako shark is dangerous as a bullet

It is rightfully ranked fifth in the ranking. Extremely aggressive and dangerous, this shark reaches 4 meters in length, and few can compete with its dynamism, power and swimming speed - no joke, the mako shark is able to jump over the water to a height of 6 meters!

You can meet this individual almost anywhere, with the exception of only cool ocean waters.

There are frequent cases when the mako shark attacked people directly in the beach area. Aggressive and persistent in defense, it attacks boats in the open sea without hesitation, and in pursuit of the intended prey is ready to jump out of the water onto the shore even in a powerful jump.

Photo of a mako shark

4. Bloody herald of tragedies

Being in fourth place in the ten most dangerous sharks, it inspires fear by its very appearance.

Large size, disproportionately long fins, triangular and sharp teeth like daggers, and, to top it all, not friendly at all - meeting with this persistent and unshakable killer, stubbornly pursuing his goal, can have sad and even tragic consequences.

Fortunately, long-winged sharks do not appear near the coast often, but they have a huge number of victims in the open ocean, including in cases of plane crashes or shipwrecks with numerous victims in the water.

Representatives of this species live in almost all tropical and subtropical waters of the globe.

3. Tiger of the marine jungle - danger is imminent

The third, leading place in the list of the most aggressive and dangerous sharks for humans belongs. It owes its name to a peculiar color - an interweaving of dark and white stripes on the back of young individuals, which fades with age.

However, the tiger coloration is not the only feature of this fish that ensures its recognition: they have a blunt and short snout with a characteristic grin, a spindle-shaped body and impressive dimensions, reaching 4-5 meters in length.

The warm Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico are favorite habitats for tiger sharks. It is not uncommon for these aggressive creatures to open the "hunting season" on the coasts, in popular beach vacation spots. Usually slow, during the attack, tiger sharks are able to develop stunning speed, leaving the victim no chance of salvation.

Tiger shark photo

2. The most famous dangerous shark - White Death

The second place is rightfully taken by a real murderer - ruthless and bloodthirsty, well known to everyone from the movie "Jaws". Its mere appearance can shock you, because the size of the white shark reaches 6 meters or more, and the weight of the monster sometimes exceeds 3 tons.

Watch the video - White shark attacks:

Gluttonous and strong, it can attack a person not only in warm, but also moderately cool water, in the open sea and in shallow water, and its silent and sudden appearance has long become a kind of visiting card of this monster.

High speed, huge jaws, frightening size, perseverance and aggressiveness - this is what makes this fish with a lead-gray back and off-white belly one of the most dangerous sharks ever to exist on earth.

This predator has chosen tropical and subtropical latitudes, and in Australia, where many cases of attacks by a great white shark have been recorded, it is called the "White Death".

Photo: Great White Shark

# 1 among dangerous predators - bull (blunt) shark

And, finally, the undisputed leader of the top ten is the most dangerous, unpredictable and bloodthirsty, guilty of many unprovoked attacks on a person.

It seems that nature itself made sure that this particular representative of the shark clan got the first place, providing him with a changing color of gray tones, which allows him to skillfully camouflage himself in shallow water, the ability to live in both salt and fresh water (rivers, lakes, estuaries), unique maneuverability, powerful jaws, a set of impeccably sharp teeth, extraordinary gluttony and extreme belligerence towards people.

You can meet a bull shark in warm waters around the world - the Bahamas, which are so popular with tourists, are especially dangerous in this regard.

Impressive size (up to 4 meters) and natural aggressiveness deprive her of a sense of danger: a trademark head blow, a rapid throw, a fatal bite - this is the scenario of attacks by this most dangerous shark, the ending of which, alas, is almost always tragic.

According to the data, about 50 people die from the teeth of a bull shark every year, about 100 people become crippled.