Outline of sharks

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to sharks:

A great white shark at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico

Sharks (superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 440 million years ago, before the time of the dinosaurs.[1]

Fields that study sharks
  • Ichthyology – branch of zoology devoted to fish (including sharks)
  • Meristics – branch of ichthyology that relates to counting features of fish, such as the number of fins or scales

What is a shark?

A shark, also called a "selachimorph", can be described as all of the following:

  • Animal – multicellular, eukaryotic organism of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. An animal's body plan eventually becomes fixed as it develops, although some types of animal undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most kinds of animal are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and independently.
    • Chordate – Chordates (phylum Chordata) are animals which are either vertebrates or one of several closely related invertebrates.
      • Fish – gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate (or craniate) animal that lacks limbs with digits.
        • Chondrichthye (cartilaginous fish) – jawed fish with paired fins, paired nares, scales, two-chambered hearts, and skeletons made of cartilage rather than bone.
          • Elasmobranch – member of the subclass Elasmobranchii, which includes sharks, rays, and skates.
  • Predator – organism that attacks and feeds on prey (the organism that is attacked).[2]
    • Apex predator – some shark species are apex predators, that is, predators with no predators of their own, residing at the top of their food chain.[3]

Biological classification
Identification of the 8 extant shark orders

Types of sharks

List of sharks Subdivisions of the biological classification Selachimorpha include:

Shark behavior
The Philadelphia Inquirer report of Jersey Shore shark attack.
  • Predation
  • Shark threat display – Behaviour shown by some sharks when threatened
  • Spy hopping – Raising the head out of the water

Shark attacks

Shark attack

Range and habitats of sharks

Range
  • Bodies of water in which sharks can be found include:
  • Depths: from the surface down to depths of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).
A whale shark in the Georgia Aquarium

Habitats
  • White Shark Cafe – remote mid-Pacific Ocean area noted as a winter and spring habitat of otherwise coastal great white sharks

Sharks in captivity

Sharks in captivity

Shark anatomy
The major features of sharks
  • Physical characteristics of sharks – shark skeleton, respiration and skin
    • Dermal denticle – small outgrowths which cover the skin of sharks
    • Ampullae of Lorenzini – sensing organ that helps sharks and fish to sense electric fields
    • Electroreception – the biological ability to perceive electrical impulses (see also Ampullae of Lorenzini)
    • Lateral line – sense organ that detects movement and vibration in the surrounding water
    • Shark cartilage – material that a sharks' skeleton is composed of
    • Shark teeth
    • Spiracle – pumps water across gills
    • Clasper – the anatomical structure that male sharks use for mating
    • Fish anatomy – generic description of fish anatomy

Protective equipment
Simplified diagram of shark net
  • Drum lines
  • Shark net – submerged net placed around beaches to reduce shark attacks on swimmers
  • Shark proof cage – cage from which a SCUBA diver can examine sharks more safely
  • Shark repellent – method of driving sharks from an area, object, person, or animal
    • Magnetic shark repellent – use of permanent magnets to repel sharks
    • Protective oceanic device – first successful electronic shark repellent
  • Shark suit

Shark fishing
Shark fishing boat off the Galapagos, Ecuador

Shark conservation
One of the first species of shark to be protected was the Grey nurse shark
  • 1992 Cageless shark-diving expedition – first publicized cageless dive with great white sharks which contributed to changing public opinions about the supposed "killing machine"
  • Shark Alliance – coalition of nongovernmental organizations dedicated to restoring and conserving shark populations by improving European fishing policy
  • Shark Conservation Act – proposed US law to protect sharks
  • Shark sanctuary – Palau's first-ever attempt to prohibit taking sharks within its territorial waters
  • Shark tourism – form of ecotourism showcasing sharks
  • Shark Trust – A UK organisation for conservation of sharks

Notable sharks

Notable researchers and people
Hans Hass, diving pioneer
  • Peter Benchley – author of the novel Jaws, later worked for shark conservation
  • Eugenie Clark – American ichthyologist researching poisonous fish and the behavior of sharks; popularly known as The Shark Lady
  • Leonard Compagno – international authority on shark taxonomy, best known for 1984 catalog of shark species (FAO)
  • Jacques-Yves Cousteau – French naval officer, explorer, ecologist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water including sharks
  • Ben Cropp – Australian former shark hunter, who stopped in 1962 to produce some 150 wildlife documentaries
  • Richard Ellis – American marine biologist, author, and illustrator.
  • Rodney Fox – Australian film maker, conservationist, survivor of great white shark attack and one of the world's foremost authorities on them
  • Andre Hartman – South African diving guide best known for free-diving unprotected with great white sharks
  • Hans Hass – diving pioneer, known for shark documentaries
  • Mike Rutzen – great white shark expert and outspoken champion of shark conservation; known for free diving unprotected with great white sharks
  • Ron & Valerie Taylor – ex-spearfishing champions who switched from killing to filming underwater documentaries
  • Rob Stewart (filmmaker) – Canadian photographer, filmmaker and conservationist. He was best known for making and directing the documentary film Sharkwater
gollark: (the random libraries, I mean, people will call programs `startup` lots)
gollark: Except startup and other random libraries, which I assume nobody actually calls their stuff.
gollark: Doesn't even delete any files!
gollark: Well, it's documented malware with a removal option.
gollark: It's like Facebook - you can go elsewhere if you don't like their disregard for privacy, but not easily.

See also

References
  1. Martin, R. Aidan. "Geologic Time". ReefQuest. Retrieved 2006-09-09.
  2. Begon, M., Townsend, C., Harper, J. (1996). Ecology: Individuals, populations and communities (Third edition). Blackwell Science, London. ISBN 0-86542-845-X, ISBN 0-632-03801-2, ISBN 0-632-04393-8.
  3. "apex predator". PBS. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
  4. Fernicola, Twelve Days of Terror
  5. "Summer of the Shark". Time. July 30, 2001. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
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