7 Intriguing Facts About Sharks

7 Jaw-Dropping Revelations About the Mysterious World of Sharks

SHARKS – Here are seven (7) jaw-dropping revelations about the ocean’s apex predators.

Thanks to the 1975 blockbuster Jaws, a whole generation has grown up believing that sharks are vicious creatures, actively seeking to attack anything that crosses their path. However, scientists have diligently worked to debunk these misconceptions about these ancient beings, which inhabit every ocean and exhibit a wide range of variations in terms of size, shape, diet, habitat, and behavior.

Here are a few facts about Sharks

Sharks Are Older Than Trees

Sharks came into existence more than 450 million years ago, preceding the emergence of trees and the era of the Tyrannosaurus rex. Initially, early sharks might have been toothless and possessed cartilaginous skeletons, resembling contemporary deep-sea fish like chimeras. The first definitive shark-like creature appeared around 380 million years ago during the Devonian period. A major extinction event further facilitated the rapid evolution of sharks into diverse forms, sizes, and ecological niches, some of which still exist today. One of the oldest living species, the bluntnose sixgill shark, emerged between 200 million and 175 million years ago during the early Jurassic epoch.

We Have Learned a Lot From Shark Teeth

Due to the scarcity of remains left behind by cartilaginous fishes upon death, including mainly teeth, scales, vertebrae, and impressions in rock, paleontologists have managed to identify approximately 2,000 extinct shark species solely by studying fossilized teeth. For instance, the discovery of ancient shark teeth from the Early Devonian period led to the confirmation of the theory that a fish named Doliodus problematicus was an early ancestor of sharks, exhibiting traits resembling both bony and shark-like fish.

There Are More Than 500 Species of Sharks in the World

Sharks fall into nine taxonomic orders. Notable types include the ground sharks under the order Carcharhiniformes, encompassing over 290 species such as the bull shark, tiger shark, blue shark, and hammerhead. The Lamniformes order, known as mackerel sharks, includes the great white shark, basking shark, and makos, along with the goblin shark and other species. The order Orectolobiformes, or carpet sharks, comprises the whale shark, nurse shark, and wobbegong, among others. Overall, there are more than 500 shark species populating the world’s oceans.

There’s a Huge Size Difference Between the Largest and Smallest Sharks

With such a diverse range of shark species, there exists a significant contrast in their sizes. The whale shark holds the title of the largest living shark, growing up to 45 feet in length and weighing approximately 20 tons, with the largest confirmed measurement reaching 61.7 feet. On the other end of the spectrum, the dwarf lantern shark, discovered in 1985 in the Caribbean Sea, is the smallest known shark species, with an average length of just under 7 inches. It inhabits the ocean’s twilight zone, about 1,000 feet below the surface, utilizing bioluminescent organs along its belly for camouflage in sunlit waters.

Sharks Have a Sixth Sense

Similar to other fishes, sharks possess a sensory organ called the lateral line, running along their bodies. This system enables them to detect water vibrations from considerable distances, aiding in the detection of prey. Additionally, sharks have the capability of perceiving the electric fields generated by other animals through a sixth sense known as electroreception. This unique ability allows them to locate prey and navigate their environment, using Earth’s electromagnetic fields during migration.

One Shark Species Can Live for Centuries

The Greenland shark, residing in the Arctic and known for its slow growth, not only holds the record for the longest-lived shark but also for the longest-lived vertebrate on Earth. Owing to the absence of cartilage indicating their age, estimating their lifespan has been challenging. However, a 2016 study in the journal Science employed carbon dating of eye proteins in several Greenland sharks, revealing an average age of 272 years at the time of their demise. The study suggested that these sharks could potentially live up to 500 years.

You’re More Likely To Be Killed by a Cow Than a Shark

The likelihood of falling victim to a shark attack is exceedingly low. The 2022 global summary from the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File confirmed 57 unprovoked shark bites, along with 32 provoked attacks. Contrarily, other animals, such as cows, hornets, bees, wasps, and dogs, pose a significantly greater risk to human life, with cows causing an average of 20 deaths annually, according to CDC data. Similarly, hornets, bees, and wasps account for approximately 48 deaths per year, while dogs contribute to around 19 fatalities annually.