Adaptation of sharks
What are dermal denticles?
Tough, tooth-like scales reduce drag and protect the shark’s skin
This famous shark starred in the movie Jaws.
great white shark
This part of a shark helps it breathe underwater.
Gills
This word means protecting animals and their habitats.
conservation
This nickname is often used for the great white shark.
jaws
What are sharks’ skeletons made of?
Cartilage
This spotted gentle giant is the largest shark species in the world.
whale shark
True or false: Sharks are mammals.
False
Many sharks are killed each year for this body part used in soup.
Fins
Sharks don’t have bones — their skeletons are made of this flexible material.
cartilage
What are the ampullae of Lorenzini?
Pores near a shark’s snout sense electrical signals from other animals
This shark’s head looks like a tool used for pounding nails.
hammerhead shark
This shark is the largest fish in the ocean.
Whale shark
Sharks are important to the ocean because they help keep this in balance.
the ecosystem (or food chain)
This sense helps sharks detect tiny movements or electrical signals in the water.
electroreception
What is viviparity?
Some sharks give birth to live young instead of laying eggs
This bottom-dwelling shark has spots and a name that sounds like a cookie.
cookiecutter shark
Sharks have been around longer than dinosaurs—about this many million years.
400 million yrs
This is one of the biggest threats to shark populations worldwide.
overfishing
This type of shark can live in both saltwater and freshwater.
bull shark
What is countershading?
The dark top and light belly of many sharks help them blend in with their surroundings
This prehistoric-looking species has a long, eel-like body and is rarely seen by humans.
frilled shark
This type of shark is known for its hammer-shaped head.
Hammerhead shark
When sharks are caught accidentally while fishing for other species, it’s called this.
bycatch
Baby sharks are called this.
pups