Whale shark in the Maldives. Photo: Guy Stevens
What makes sharks different from other fish? What is the connection between evolution, reproduction, and being at the top of the food chain? What do we know about how sharks behave? (Too little is known about shark behavior, as even the most prominent species spend much of their lives away from places where researchers can observe them.)
This section, which is still in development, will include the answers to these questions. Below are our first articles on the subject shark biology and behavior.
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Elasmobranchs, or sharks and rays, reproduce differently than most bony fish. While sharks have several modes of reproduction, all involve internal fertilization, the production of only a few young, and the means of allowing the young to develop to a stage of greater survivability.
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Perhaps the second most famous part of the shark's body, next to the dorsal fin, is the teeth. Sharks' teeth are often all that we know about some prehistoric sharks, teeth are routinely lost and replaced, and one size does not fit all.
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An exploration of the key characteristics that define sharks.
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There are several interesting differences between sharks and other fish, other than the skeleton.
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Bull sharks live in both shallow ocean waters, but unlike most sharks, can also live in fresh water rivers, estuaries, and lakes for some time.
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Learn about the early years of prehistoric sharks and how they've survived longer than most other animals.
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The world would be even more precarious without sharks. For 450 million years, sharks have usually acted as the apex predator in the oceans.
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