Outline of sharks explained
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to sharks:
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
Description
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
Types of sharks
List of sharksSubdivisions of the biological classification Selachimorpha include:
Shark behavior
- 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:
- Seas: all
- Freshwater - some species of shark can live both in seawater and freshwater, and include:
- Depths: from the surface down to depths of 2000m (7,000feet).
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
- 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
- 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
- Shark suit
Shark fishing
Shark conservation
- 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
- 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 and 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
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Martin . R. Aidan. Geologic Time. ReefQuest. 2006-09-09.
- Begon, M., Townsend, C., Harper, J. (1996). (Third edition). Blackwell Science, London.,, .
- Web site: apex predator . PBS . 2010-01-25.
- Fernicola, Twelve Days of Terror
- Summer of the Shark . https://web.archive.org/web/20010724222409/http://www.time.com/time/2001/sharks/ . dead . July 24, 2001 . Time . July 30, 2001 . May 20, 2010.
