Sharks
Sharks, along with rays and chimaeras, are cartilaginous fishes. This means their skeletons are composed entirely of cartilage. Cartilage is a tissue that is lighter and more flexible than bone. This is the material that humans have in their ears and nose. The only bony part of a shark is their famous teeth. At present time there are 479 known species of shark. This number is ever-changing with new discoveries and ongoing genetic research.
Piked/Spiny Dogfish
Scientific Name: Squalus acanthias
Appearance: The spiny dogfish is a slim shark with a narrow, pointed snout. It has two dorsal fins, one in the middle of its back and another closer to the tail. Both of these fins have a spine on them that contain a mild poison. When threatened, these sharks may arch their backs to pierce its captor. It has large eyes and five pairs of short gills.
The backs of these sharks are gray-blue or brown with some small white spots. Their undersides are white. These are small sharks that generally only reach a length of around 5 feet maximum.
These sharks’ teeth are small, oblique, almost horizontal, and have cutting edges. They interlock to form a cutting wall.
Diet: They eat a variety of organisms, including fish, cephalopods, gastropods, crustaceans, sea cucumbers, and jellyfish.
Location: These sharks are found near every continent except for Antarctica. They tend to live on continental or insular shelves at a depth ranging from the surface to over 4,000 feet below. They can be found throughout all of New England.
These sharks are timid and non-dangerous to humans. Due to their size and abundance, they are often used in zoology labs for general experiments or as a teaching tool.
Appearance: The spiny dogfish is a slim shark with a narrow, pointed snout. It has two dorsal fins, one in the middle of its back and another closer to the tail. Both of these fins have a spine on them that contain a mild poison. When threatened, these sharks may arch their backs to pierce its captor. It has large eyes and five pairs of short gills.
The backs of these sharks are gray-blue or brown with some small white spots. Their undersides are white. These are small sharks that generally only reach a length of around 5 feet maximum.
These sharks’ teeth are small, oblique, almost horizontal, and have cutting edges. They interlock to form a cutting wall.
Diet: They eat a variety of organisms, including fish, cephalopods, gastropods, crustaceans, sea cucumbers, and jellyfish.
Location: These sharks are found near every continent except for Antarctica. They tend to live on continental or insular shelves at a depth ranging from the surface to over 4,000 feet below. They can be found throughout all of New England.
These sharks are timid and non-dangerous to humans. Due to their size and abundance, they are often used in zoology labs for general experiments or as a teaching tool.
Great White shark
Scientific Name: Carcharodon carcharias
Appearance: Great whites have large bodies with a conical snout. They have a large mouth and moderately big eyes. The first dorsal fin is large while the second is very small. It’s pectoral fins are wide and long. They have five pairs of gills located ahead of their pectoral fins. These sharks can grow to be over 20 feet in length. These sharks have a heat-retaining system, so they tend to be quite fast and active.
Great whites are usually grayish brown on their backs with slightly lighter flanks. They have very white underbellies. The line between separating their top and bottom colors is very distinct. There pectoral fins often have a black patch at the tip. There have been very rare cases of pure white, albino great whites.
Great whites’ teeth are quite large and triangular in shape. They also have very serrated edges. The teeth on the bottom jaw are slightly narrower than the teeth on the top jaw.
Diet: These sharks eat a variety of prey, including boney fish, marine mammals, mollusks, crustaceans, sea turtles, and birds. They are also known to scavenge carcasses. Many great white seem to prefer fattier prey that is high in energy versus prey with a lower energy yield. They have been observed selectively feeding on the high fat blubber of whale carcasses, while ignoring other parts of the whale.
One rather interesting hunting method has been observed in numerous populations, in which a great white will leap out of the water to ambush seals swimming on the surface.
Location: These sharks live in every ocean except for the Arctic Ocean. They prefer to patrol near-shore waters, but have been known to dive down to depths of around 800 feet. These sharks tend to patrol areas where pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) congregate. They have been seen in Maine waters numerous times.
The great white shark is one of the most popular and well known sharks in the world, in part due to the highly successful fil, Jaws. This film inevitably gave great whites the reputation of being man-eaters. While they are one of the three sharks, along with the tiger shark and the bull shark, responsible for the most attacks on humans, they do not generally target humans on purpose. Many great white attacks are cases of mistaken identity, especially those attacks on surfers, who look remarkably like seals when seen from below. Great whites often release humans they have bitten once they realize they have made a mistake.
These sharks can be quite curious and have been known to investigate divers without showing any aggressive behavior. They may also raise their heads slightly out of the water to investigate something of interest.
As an apex predator, these sharks do not have many natural predators. The only animals known to hunt them are larger great whites and orcas.
Appearance: Great whites have large bodies with a conical snout. They have a large mouth and moderately big eyes. The first dorsal fin is large while the second is very small. It’s pectoral fins are wide and long. They have five pairs of gills located ahead of their pectoral fins. These sharks can grow to be over 20 feet in length. These sharks have a heat-retaining system, so they tend to be quite fast and active.
Great whites are usually grayish brown on their backs with slightly lighter flanks. They have very white underbellies. The line between separating their top and bottom colors is very distinct. There pectoral fins often have a black patch at the tip. There have been very rare cases of pure white, albino great whites.
Great whites’ teeth are quite large and triangular in shape. They also have very serrated edges. The teeth on the bottom jaw are slightly narrower than the teeth on the top jaw.
Diet: These sharks eat a variety of prey, including boney fish, marine mammals, mollusks, crustaceans, sea turtles, and birds. They are also known to scavenge carcasses. Many great white seem to prefer fattier prey that is high in energy versus prey with a lower energy yield. They have been observed selectively feeding on the high fat blubber of whale carcasses, while ignoring other parts of the whale.
One rather interesting hunting method has been observed in numerous populations, in which a great white will leap out of the water to ambush seals swimming on the surface.
Location: These sharks live in every ocean except for the Arctic Ocean. They prefer to patrol near-shore waters, but have been known to dive down to depths of around 800 feet. These sharks tend to patrol areas where pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) congregate. They have been seen in Maine waters numerous times.
The great white shark is one of the most popular and well known sharks in the world, in part due to the highly successful fil, Jaws. This film inevitably gave great whites the reputation of being man-eaters. While they are one of the three sharks, along with the tiger shark and the bull shark, responsible for the most attacks on humans, they do not generally target humans on purpose. Many great white attacks are cases of mistaken identity, especially those attacks on surfers, who look remarkably like seals when seen from below. Great whites often release humans they have bitten once they realize they have made a mistake.
These sharks can be quite curious and have been known to investigate divers without showing any aggressive behavior. They may also raise their heads slightly out of the water to investigate something of interest.
As an apex predator, these sharks do not have many natural predators. The only animals known to hunt them are larger great whites and orcas.
Basking SHark
Scientific Name: Cetorhinus maximus
Appearance: The basking shark is a fairly large shark. It can grow to be over 25 feet in length, with the females being larger than the males. This shark has a long, conical snout and a very wide mouth. It has five pairs of very long gills that have gill rakers on its internal gill slits. Gill rakers are bony projections that help filter feeders retain food. It’s eye are fairly small. It’s first dorsal fin is very large, while the second in much smaller. It’s pectoral fins are wide and fairly long.
Basking sharks are brown or gray on their backs, with some irregular dark patches. Their undersides are similar, if sometimes a bit lighter. The undersides of juveniles may be partially white, darkening with age.
As a filter feeder, this sharks teeth are very small, curved, and numerous.
Diet: This shark feeds mainly on plankton, small crustaceans, bony fish eggs, and jellyfish. As filter feeders, they swim by the surface with their mouths wide open to gather these small creatures. The basking shark is one of only three known filter-feeding sharks, along with the whale shark and megamouth.
Location: These sharks are found all over the world in arctic and temperate waters. They are typically found on continental and insular shelves at a depth ranging from the surface to around 1,000 feet. They are highly migratory and may be found in the Gulf of Maine from spring to autumn. Basking sharks may travel solitary, in pairs, or in schools of up to 100 animals.
These sharks are not dangerous to humans. They are not known to attack unless threatened and are generally tolerant of swimmers, divers, and boats. There have been reports of basking sharks attacking boats after being harpooned. In the past, they were hunted for their oil and meat.
Many tales of sea serpents come from sightings of multiple basking sharks swimming single file near the surface of the water. Also, sure to its relatively small skull, its remains were often thought to belong to some unknown animal. One carcass found by Japanese fisherman in 1977 looked remarkably like a plesiosaur.
Appearance: The basking shark is a fairly large shark. It can grow to be over 25 feet in length, with the females being larger than the males. This shark has a long, conical snout and a very wide mouth. It has five pairs of very long gills that have gill rakers on its internal gill slits. Gill rakers are bony projections that help filter feeders retain food. It’s eye are fairly small. It’s first dorsal fin is very large, while the second in much smaller. It’s pectoral fins are wide and fairly long.
Basking sharks are brown or gray on their backs, with some irregular dark patches. Their undersides are similar, if sometimes a bit lighter. The undersides of juveniles may be partially white, darkening with age.
As a filter feeder, this sharks teeth are very small, curved, and numerous.
Diet: This shark feeds mainly on plankton, small crustaceans, bony fish eggs, and jellyfish. As filter feeders, they swim by the surface with their mouths wide open to gather these small creatures. The basking shark is one of only three known filter-feeding sharks, along with the whale shark and megamouth.
Location: These sharks are found all over the world in arctic and temperate waters. They are typically found on continental and insular shelves at a depth ranging from the surface to around 1,000 feet. They are highly migratory and may be found in the Gulf of Maine from spring to autumn. Basking sharks may travel solitary, in pairs, or in schools of up to 100 animals.
These sharks are not dangerous to humans. They are not known to attack unless threatened and are generally tolerant of swimmers, divers, and boats. There have been reports of basking sharks attacking boats after being harpooned. In the past, they were hunted for their oil and meat.
Many tales of sea serpents come from sightings of multiple basking sharks swimming single file near the surface of the water. Also, sure to its relatively small skull, its remains were often thought to belong to some unknown animal. One carcass found by Japanese fisherman in 1977 looked remarkably like a plesiosaur.
Shortfin Mako shark
Scientific Name: Isurus oxyrinchus
Appearance: The shortfin mako has a very sleek, spindle shaped body built for speed. Younger sharks are quite slender, but they do bulk up a bit as they age. Their snout is conical and sharply pointed. Their first dorsal fin is somewhat tall and their second dorsal fin is tiny in comparison. Their jaw is wide, but sharply curved. It appears narrow when seen from below. It has five pairs of long gill slits in front of its pectoral fins. Makos can grow to be around 15 feet in length. These sharks, unlike most fish, have an endothermic circulatory system (warm-bloodedness) that allows them to remain active even in colder waters.
This beautiful shark is indigo to black on its back. There is a pronounced iridescence o its sides. Their underbelly is white and the line between the dorsal and ventral coloration is distinct.
These sharks’ teeth are long, narrow, and curved. They are not serrated, but have sharp cutting edges. The teeth on the bottom jaw protrude slightly, so they can be seen even when the sharks mouth is closed.
Diet: These sharks prey on a variety of organisms, including bony fish, marine mammals, birds, crustaceans, and carcasses. They use their amazing speed to their advantage and prey can rarely outswim them.
Location: These sharks prefer to live in open waters near continental shelves. Younger sharks may be found in shallower waters. They are found all over the world and warm and temperate waters.
The shortfin mako is one of the fastest sharks. It is capable of performing bursts of speed up to 50 mph.
These sharks are rather timid and nervous by nature. They rarely approach divers very closely. When they are nervous, they may perform threat displays by gaping their lower jaw slightly and turning in figure-eight’s closer to the threat. They can be fairly aggressive and have attacked humans, so they are considered to be fairly dangerous.
Appearance: The shortfin mako has a very sleek, spindle shaped body built for speed. Younger sharks are quite slender, but they do bulk up a bit as they age. Their snout is conical and sharply pointed. Their first dorsal fin is somewhat tall and their second dorsal fin is tiny in comparison. Their jaw is wide, but sharply curved. It appears narrow when seen from below. It has five pairs of long gill slits in front of its pectoral fins. Makos can grow to be around 15 feet in length. These sharks, unlike most fish, have an endothermic circulatory system (warm-bloodedness) that allows them to remain active even in colder waters.
This beautiful shark is indigo to black on its back. There is a pronounced iridescence o its sides. Their underbelly is white and the line between the dorsal and ventral coloration is distinct.
These sharks’ teeth are long, narrow, and curved. They are not serrated, but have sharp cutting edges. The teeth on the bottom jaw protrude slightly, so they can be seen even when the sharks mouth is closed.
Diet: These sharks prey on a variety of organisms, including bony fish, marine mammals, birds, crustaceans, and carcasses. They use their amazing speed to their advantage and prey can rarely outswim them.
Location: These sharks prefer to live in open waters near continental shelves. Younger sharks may be found in shallower waters. They are found all over the world and warm and temperate waters.
The shortfin mako is one of the fastest sharks. It is capable of performing bursts of speed up to 50 mph.
These sharks are rather timid and nervous by nature. They rarely approach divers very closely. When they are nervous, they may perform threat displays by gaping their lower jaw slightly and turning in figure-eight’s closer to the threat. They can be fairly aggressive and have attacked humans, so they are considered to be fairly dangerous.
blue shark
Scientific Name: Prionace glauca
Appearance: The blue shark has a slender body with large eyes and a long, narrow snout. It’s dorsal fin is moderately sized and located well behind the pectoral fins. The pectoral fins are very long, pointed, and narrow. It has five sets of gills, with the last two located just over the pectoral fins. Its mouth appears wide and parabolic when viewed from below. The maximum size this shark reach is around 12 feet long.
As its name suggests, the dorsal, back area, of this shark is a bright blue color. Like most sharks, its underbelly is white. The tips and back edges of its fins have a narrow black band.
This shark has long, narrow, and pointed teeth. They are curved and have sharp, strongly serrated edges. The teeth on the lower jaw are slightly narrower.
Diet: These sharks eat bony fish, fish eggs, mollusks, crustaceans, and carcasses.
Location: These sharks can be found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters. They are mainly found in the open ocean and rarely come closer to shore. Female blue sharks visit shallower areas to give birth.
These sharks are fast, active, and mainly nocturnal. They generally live solitary lives, but may be found in groups around abundant sources of food.
These sharks occasionally approach divers and are generally non-aggressive while doing so. There have been attacks by blue sharks on humans, so they are classified as dangerous. They are not timid sharks and may be willing to go in for a test bite.
Appearance: The blue shark has a slender body with large eyes and a long, narrow snout. It’s dorsal fin is moderately sized and located well behind the pectoral fins. The pectoral fins are very long, pointed, and narrow. It has five sets of gills, with the last two located just over the pectoral fins. Its mouth appears wide and parabolic when viewed from below. The maximum size this shark reach is around 12 feet long.
As its name suggests, the dorsal, back area, of this shark is a bright blue color. Like most sharks, its underbelly is white. The tips and back edges of its fins have a narrow black band.
This shark has long, narrow, and pointed teeth. They are curved and have sharp, strongly serrated edges. The teeth on the lower jaw are slightly narrower.
Diet: These sharks eat bony fish, fish eggs, mollusks, crustaceans, and carcasses.
Location: These sharks can be found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters. They are mainly found in the open ocean and rarely come closer to shore. Female blue sharks visit shallower areas to give birth.
These sharks are fast, active, and mainly nocturnal. They generally live solitary lives, but may be found in groups around abundant sources of food.
These sharks occasionally approach divers and are generally non-aggressive while doing so. There have been attacks by blue sharks on humans, so they are classified as dangerous. They are not timid sharks and may be willing to go in for a test bite.
Knickle, C., Billingsley, L., & DiVittorio, K. (2014). Basking Shark. Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieved from: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/gallery/descript/baskingshark/baskingshark.html
Knickle, C., Billingsley, L., & DiVittorio, K. (2014). Blue Shark. Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieved from: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/BlueShark/BlueShark.html
Maddalena, Alessandro de & Heim, Walter. (2010). Sharks of New England. Down East.
Maine. (2006). Do You Know Your Catch?. State of Maine Department of Marine Resources. Retrieved from: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/recreational/anglerguide/doyouknowyourcatch/documents/medmrknowyourcatch.pdf
MarineBio. (2014). Piked Dogfish. Retrieved from: http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=97
MarineBio. (2014). Shorfin Mako Shark. Retrieved from: http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=36
Knickle, C., Billingsley, L., & DiVittorio, K. (2014). Blue Shark. Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieved from: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/BlueShark/BlueShark.html
Maddalena, Alessandro de & Heim, Walter. (2010). Sharks of New England. Down East.
Maine. (2006). Do You Know Your Catch?. State of Maine Department of Marine Resources. Retrieved from: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/recreational/anglerguide/doyouknowyourcatch/documents/medmrknowyourcatch.pdf
MarineBio. (2014). Piked Dogfish. Retrieved from: http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=97
MarineBio. (2014). Shorfin Mako Shark. Retrieved from: http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=36
Updated: December 4, 2014