Types of Sharks

Sharks are from the point of view of marine biology, which is one of those that study the subject of life and continuous classification of sharks, these are considered a type of fish with predatory characteristics , within the world of survival and the food cycle. Almost all of them have their habitat in the sea, in the ocean. There are some exceptions, such as the so-called bull shark, which lives in fresh water.

Sharks are considered as part of the group of what is called “chondrichthyans”, due to the component of the skeleton that is characterized by the predominance of cartilage. Among the main characteristics that these types of marine animals have is the fact that they have a breathing process that is executed thanks to the gills, inside the water.

What these gills allow is that the shark can be oxygenated, they are found inside a kind of slit that is accompanied by a tilting process. Another physiological characteristic that sharks have is that they have a tongue that is fixed in the lower part of the jawbone. In the case of the snout, it has a shape called ventral.

In the case of what has been the pharynx, it presents a degree of opening that is located at the ends of what are the gill-type mandibles. In addition, sharks have an excretory and circulatory system with very special conditions. They are animals that have the myth of being highly dangerous, which is often a misconception.

Types of sharks

Whale shark

The scientific name that marine biologists and other scientists have coined for this type of shark is “Rhincodon typus”, which is cataloged in the family group as “Rhincodontidae”. Among the main characteristics, we have that these are of an impressive size, in fact, it is usually considered the largest in relation to all sharks classified to date.

To give us an idea of ​​their imposing size, they measure up to twelve meters in length. It is common to find these types of sharks in waters that are tropical and warm. From the point of view of the theory of evolution, these are considered to be the oldest. Their behavior is very particular since most of the time they are alone and when there is food they group together.

In addition to its size, it is easy to distinguish this type of animal by its color, which is generally gray, with a particularity, the belly turns out to be white. In addition, small yellow polka dots are scattered throughout its body, combined with white polka dots. Some scientists find a certain resemblance in the distribution of moles with chess.

The thickness of the skin is regularly about ten centimeters, its body, regardless of being large, it is prolonged in an elongated way, it is usually what marine biologists call, as aerodynamic. The head turns out to be flattened and its eyes are located on the side of the head. For these characteristics it is that in the sight of the human it is fearful.

White shark

The name assigned to this type of shark is “Carcharodon Carcharias”, and from the point of view of the classification carried out by marine biologists, we have that these belong to the “Lamnidae” family, the which can be found normally in waters that are climatologically temperate. They are even found in waters that are warm, within the ocean.

From the physiological point of view, we have that these sharks have the particularity of being fusiform, they are usually highly robust and the snout is usually short, with a very thick conical type figure. In addition to the fact that it is usually very round in its outline. When they come to observe this shark, it shows its snout half-open most of the time.

Due to the above situation, the respiratory system works by entering the water through the snout and passing through the gill system, it is due to this simple mechanical function that this type of shark rarely drowns. The way in which the opposite could happen is very remote, although there is a latent risk since, compared to other types of sharks, it does not have operculums.

Gray shark

Scientists have classified it and coined the scientific name of “Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos”, and as such, it is recognized that it belongs to the family of “Carcharhinidae”, and they are found in a habitat at least 250 meters deep in the sea in the ocean. They show a gray color on the back and white on the underside.

In the case of the color of the fins, it is particular, which are usually mostly gray with dark tones. Regarding their eating behavior, they have the habit of hunting during the day, for the simple fact that their prey is constantly active and is more predictable to catch. Something that is very particular in these animals is that when they are threatened they take the shape of an “S”.

Hammerhead shark

Colloquially it is usually known as a giant shark and/or giant horned shark, as the case may be. From the point of view of the classification carried out by science, they belong to the family of “Sphyrnidae”, and are usually found in the ocean habitat in regions with warm waters. In some cases even temperate. It is a very popular animal because of the shape they have.

In fact, the main feature that makes it very popular among people and that is very special, compared to other sharks, is the shape of its head. This has a resemblance to the shape of a “T”, which is shown in the part of what has been the nose of the animal itself. In addition to this, the eyes are located at the ends.

In the case of the teeth, we have to turn out to be very sharp, in fact they are compared a lot with what knives are, not only because of this characteristic but also because of the very shape of the teeth. This type of animal usually feeds on some fish, eels, crabs, squid, snails and a wide variety of species. They usually swim near the seashore, that’s why you find this variety.

Tiger shark

It is easy to distinguish this type of shark when it is observed that on the back and on the sides, a set of stripes that precisely resemble those of a tiger is perceptible, hence its colloquial name. In addition, the body has a blue and/or greenish color tone. In the case of the head, it is shown in a rectangular shape, which makes it more distinctive from others.

In the case of other physiological characteristics, we have that their eyes, for example, turn out to be extremely circular and large. Regarding the nose, it is observed that it has elongated nostrils. The teeth are usually extremely strong and strong, very sharp and hook-shaped; which helps to be highly predatory. For example, break shells.

Bull shark

This is a type of shark that is easy to find in several places, it is one of the most common compared to the rest of the animals of its species. These are scientifically known as “Carcharhinus leucas”, which among its most distinctive characteristics is the fact that they usually show a body with a certain robustness and are solid. It also has large fins on the side of the body.

The tail of these sharks shows a kind of lobe, which is very long. They show at the end of this a type of peak called prequadal. In the case of color, it is generally shown in a light brown and/or greenish hue. One of the characteristic conditions that they present is that their hunting ecosystem is highly close to the human being who navigates the sea.

It is for this reason that it is often considered a dangerous animal, although we must not forget that its behavior is instinctive. It is usually found in rivers where human beings often have the particularity of swimming, so it is usually a source of danger if care is not taken. The way to avoid the danger of this eventuality of being attacked is with prevention and vigilance.

The reason why these sharks can inhabit and/or swim in both salt and fresh water is due to the fact that they have a type of special glands that allow them to regulate the flow of salt and fresh water according to their own needs. In other words, they expel fresh water from their body and keep the salty water that they require.