Scalloped Hammerhead Shark

Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks (Sphyrna lewini) are probably the most commonly found species of hammerheads located in coastal regions, appearing in very shallow waters such as estuaries and inlets. Their distribution in the water reaches from the surface down to a depth of approx. 275 m. The young, however, remain mostly in shallow waters along the shore to avoid the danger of falling into the mouths of predators. At certain times of the year and places, and during certain phases of their lives, scalloped hammerheads form very large schools, sometimes counting hundreds of individuals, but they also swim the oceans alone. Some populations remain stationary, others clearly wander, migrating in the direction of the poles in summer. Some sexually-related migrations have also been observed, e.g. females who undertake migrations during particular periods of their sexual development.
Appearance
The scalloped hammerhead shark belongs to the large hammerhead species, and like all representatives of this family, has the typically formed "hammer" consisting of a central dent and an arched front edge (hence the name). Another typical characteristic is the free end tip of the second dorsal fin which almost reaches the tail fin. Their coloring is mainly olive, bronze or light brown with a white belly. The edges of the fins are usually darker on young animals but becomes lighter as they grow older.
Size
Mature females can reach a length of more than 4 meters, the average length is, however, less. Males reach sexual maturity at a length of about 160 cm, females when they reach approx. 210 cm. The pups measure approx. 50 cm at birth.
Feeding
This hammerhead species feeds mostly on fish such as sardines, herring and mackerels, occasionally also on invertebrates such as octopuses. Large scalloped hammerhead sharks also eat small-sized shark species such as the Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) or the blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus).
Behavior
As already mentioned, this shark species tends to form huge schools whose function is presumed to be manifold and may, among other things, concern feeding habits and reproduction. Although many studies also consider this behavior to be a group protective function, this is somewhat questionable since the animals have practically no natural enemies after reaching full maturity. Groups of scalloped hammerheads prefer staying in regions which have pinnacles or sea mounts which reach from great depths practically to the water's surface. Latest research also shows that these sharks can make use of the earth's magnetic field during their migrations.

Saw Shark

The sawsharks or saw sharks are an order (Pristiophoriformes) of sharks bearing long blade-like snouts edged with teeth, which they use to slash and disable their prey. There are five described (and four undescribed) species known, in a single family Pristiophoridae of two genera. Most occur in waters from South Africa to Australia and Japan, at depths of 40 m and below; in 1960 the Bahamas sawshark was discovered in the deeper waters (640 m to 915 m) of the northwestern Caribbean.

Sawsharks also have a pair of long barbels about halfway along the snout. They have two dorsal fins, but lack anal fins, and range up to 170 cm in length. Genus Pliotrema has six gill slits, and Pristiophorus the more usual five. The teeth of the saw typically alternate between large and small.
The sharks typically feed on bony fish, shrimp, squids, and crustaceans, depending on species. They cruise the bottom, using the barbels and ampullae of Lorenzini on the saw to detect prey in mud or sand, then hit victims with side-to-side swipes of the saw, crippling them.
Most of the species are fished commercially, and their meat is considered to be of excellent quality. Japanese sawshark is used to make kamaboko, a traditional type of fishcake.
Although they are similar in appearance, sawsharks are distinct from sawfish. Sawfish have a much larger maximum size, lack barbels, have evenly sized rather than alternating sawteeth, and have gill slits on their undersurface rather than on the side of the head.

Sandbar Shark

The sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus, comes from the Carcharhinidae family of sharks, also called requiem sharks.

The sandbar shark is also called the thickskin shark or brown shark. It is one of the biggest coastal sharks in the world, and is closely related to the dusky shark, the bignose shark, and the bull shark. Its dorsal fin is triangular and very high, and weighs as much as 18% of the shark's whole body. Sandbar sharks usually have heavy-set bodies and rounded snouts that are shorter than the average shark's snout. Their upper teeth have broadly uneven cusps with sharp edges. Its second dorsal fin and anal fin are close to the same height. Females can grow to 2/2.5 m, males up to 1.8 m. Its body color can vary from a bluish to a brownish grey to a bronze, with a white or pale underside. Sandbar sharks swim alone or gather in sex-segregated schools that vary in size. They are most active at night, at dawn, and at dusk.

The sandbar shark, true to its nickname, is commonly found over muddy or sandy bottoms in shallow coastal waters such as bays, estuaries, harbors, or the mouths of rivers, but it also swims in deeper waters (200 m or more) as well as intertidal zones. Sandbar sharks are found in tropical to temperate waters worldwide; in the western Atlantic they range from Massachusetts to Brazil. Juveniles are common to abundant in the lower Chesapeake Bay, which is probably one of the most important nursery grounds on the United States east coast for this species.
The sandbar shark's main predator is man. Natural predators are the tiger sharks, and rarely by great white sharks. The sandbar sharks, and other requiem sharks, prey on finfish rays, bottom dwelling animals, seabirds and turtles.

Sandbar sharks are viviparous. The embryos are supported in placental yolk sac inside the mother. The female reproduces every two years. They give birth to 8 to 10 young. They carry the young for 1 year before birth

Prickly Shark

The prickly shark, Echinorhinus cookei, is a species of large bottom dwelling shark from the Pacific Ocean.
The prickly shark occurs throughout the Pacific, including Taiwan, New Zealand, Hawaii, California and Chile, among other locations
The prickly shark lives along shelves and slopes at depths between 11 and 425 m. It is often found in submarine canyons. Other sharks and bony fish are its usual food but it will also eat octopus, squid, and even catshark eggcases. Reproduction is ovoviviparous, with up to 114 pups in a litter.

Porbeagle Shark

The porbeagle is a stout shark that is blue-gray on top and white underneath with a white patch on the trailing edge of the first dorsal fin. It has a crescent shaped tail and a secondary keel that effectively cuts the water during the side to side swimming motion. Adults can attain a size of 3.7 meters (12 feet), and have an average life expectancy of 30 to 40 years. This shark has relatively large eyes. The teeth in the moderately sized mouth are similar in both the upper and lower jaw (they are smooth-edged with lateral denticles), although young individuals may lack the lateral denticles.
The porbeagle has a heat regulating mechanism that raises the body temperature 2.7 to 8.3 degrees Celsius above the surrounding water temperature. This allows the shark to operate more efficiently in the cooler waters it inhabits. Unlike many other sharks the porbeagle must swim at all times in order to breathe.
The porbeagle shark is common in pelagic and littoral zones, and inhabits water down to a depth of 370 meters (1,120 feet). It is most commonly found on continental shelves or inshore. It prefers cool waters and is usually found in temperatures below 14 degrees Celsius.

Pacific Sleeper Shark

Pacific sleeper sharks (Somniosus pacificus) range from the Chukchi Sea, East Siberian and Beaufort seas, to the Bering Sea and in the Pacific Ocean to Baja California and off Japan including the Okhotsk Sea. Closely related to the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), it is one of the few sharks found in polar waters year-round. Noted for its lethargic nature, the sleeper shark is a large species generally inhabiting deep water from 780 to 6,562 feet (238-2,000m). At high latitudes and in colder water they may venture into shallow near-shore waters or come to the surface (Eschmeyer et al. 1983, Hart 1973). In lower latitudes they are mostly epibenthic (living upon the sea bed). Sleeper sharks are reported to reach lengths to 25 feet (7.6m), although average length and weight are 12 feet (3.65m) and 700 to 800 pounds (320-365kg) (Castro 1983). Eschmeyer et al. reports that the largest captured Pacific sleeper shark was 14.4 feet (4.4 m). A specimen in Kachemak Bay measured 12.9 feet (3.93m) total length.

Nurse Shark

The nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, is a shark in the nurse sharks family, the only member of its genus Ginglymostoma. It may reach a length of 4.3 m.
The nurse shark is a common inshore bottom-dwelling shark, found in tropical and subtropical waters on the continental and insular shelves. It is frequently found at depths of 1 metre or less but may occur down to 12 m. Its common habitats are reefs, channels between mangrove islands and sand flats. It occurs in the Western Atlantic from Rhode Island down to southern Brazil;in the Eastern Atlantic from Cameroon to Gabon (and possibly ranges further north and south); in the Eastern Pacific from the southern Baja California to Peru; and around the islands of the Caribbean.

Mustelus Hacet Shark

Mustelus Hacet Shark :
Size: 1.2 m (4 feet)
Weight: Unknown
Food Sources: Shrimp
Habitat: Deep waters, 200+m
Locations: Gulf Area
Interesting Facts: Very little is known or documented on this species

Megamouth Shark

The megamouth shark, Megachasma pelagios, is an extremely rare and unusual species of deepwater shark. Discovered in 1976, only a few have ever been seen, with 39 specimens known to have been caught or sighted as of 2007 and three recordings on film. Like the basking shark and whale shark, it is a filter feeder, and swims with its enormous mouth wide open, filtering water for plankton and jellyfish. It is distinctive for its large head with rubbery lips. It is so unlike any other type of shark that it is classified in its own family Megachasmidae, though it has been suggested that it may belong in the family Cetorhinidae of which the basking shark is currently the sole member.

Leopard Shark

The leopard shark lives in bay environments, near the shore, and sometimes in the open ocean. It is long (up to seven feet), slender, and silver or brown with black saddles across its back and black blotches along its sides. It can be seen during the day, most of the year. During the summer months -- June, July and August -- leopard sharks gather together in the shallow water off the coast of San Diego.
This shark feeds on benthic (bottom-dwelling) prey such as worms, clams, crabs, shrimp, octopus, and small fish. It has small, pointed teeth which it uses to capture its prey.
The leopard shark is ovoviviparous. This means the female gives birth to live young that have developed from eggs hatched inside her body. The young are usually born in spring. This shark is not considered dangerous to people, though any animal will bite if bothered. The leopard shark is also called a cat shark.

Lemon Shark

The lemon shark is found mainly along the subtropical and tropical parts of the Atlantic coast of North and South America. This species can be found as well in Pacific islands of Polynesia - French Polynesia - Tahiti, the Cook Islands, and Tonga. The longest lemon shark recorded was 12 ft long, but they are usually 8 to 10 ft. They like tropical water, and like to stay at moderate depths.

Hammerhead Shark

Hammerhead sharks of the genus Sphyrna are members of the family Sphyrnidae. The only other genus of Sphyrnidae, Eusphyra, contains only one species, Eusphyra blochii, the winghead shark.
The nine known species of hammerhead range from 0.9 to 6 m long (3 to 20 feet). All the species have a projection on each side of the head that gives it a resemblance to a flattened hammer. The shark's eyes and nostrils are at the tips of the extensions.

Grey Nurse Shark

Grey Nurse Sharks live near the sea floor and sometimes in the surf zone. They can be found down to depths of 190 m.
This is the tooth of a Grey Nurse Shark. It is long and piercing with small cusps at the bottom. Grey Nurse Sharks eat bony fishes, crabs, lobsters, squids and octopuses. They catch their food by rounding up small fishes into tight groups and eating them.
Grey Nurse Sharks' teeth are long and piercing with small cusps. Their teeth constantly fall out and get replaced.
Grey Nurse Sharks can grow up to 3.2 m long.
Grey Nurse Sharks give birth to only two live young at a time.
Grey Nurse Sharks are not dangerous, but divers should not annoy them.

Greenland Shark

The Greenland shark, Somniosus microcephalus, also known as the sleeper shark, gurry shark, ground shark, grey shark, or by the Inuit Skalugsuak, is a large shark native to the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean around Greenland and Iceland. These sharks live further north than any other species. They are closely related to the Pacific sleeper shark. [1] The size of the Greenland shark is impressive; it is so large, in fact, that its record is comparable to (and may exceed) that of the great white shark.
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