7 Types of Sharks You and Your Friends Should Know About
Sharks are on the list of the most favorite sea creatures along with dolphins and whales. Sharks are fascinating yet terrifying because of their gigantic mouth and sharp teeth. But did you know that there is a huge variety of ocean animals that are called sharks?
Today, you will learn that there are other types of sharks that you should know about.
Basking Shark
Basking sharks are commonly spotted in Irish and British waters from April to October. Basking sharks can grow up to 36 feet or 11 meters and weights up to 3.9 metric tonnes. Basking sharks have dark grey or brown tone and feed on zooplankton.
Frilled Shark
Frilled sharks are species that are known to be found in the deep dark waters. They have long rows of teeth, making them perfect for snagging prey. Frilled sharks are strange looking with long streamline bodies mistaking them like an eel at first glance. They are rarely encountered and scientists only have limited information about them.
Goblin Shark
Goblin sharks are known to swim in the waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. They are best spotted from April to October. Interestingly, Goblin sharks are slow swimmers with flabby bodies and shovel-like snouts.
Cookiecutter Shark
Cookiecutter sharks or cigar sharks are commonly in grey-brown or medium grey color with a dark color mark on their necks like a collar. Cookiecutter sharks are referred to as ocean parasites as they feed off larger species. Their known habitats are in the Southern Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans.
Lemon Shark
Lemon sharks are easily recognized because of their distinct lemon color. The color serves as perfect camouflage for hunting plus their robust and short snouts to aid when hunting fish and manta rays. They are often seen in the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans year round.
Megamouth Shark
Megamouth sharks are deep dark water lurkers with large mouths and huge bodies that can grow up to 16 feet in length and 2,700 pounds. They are rare and researchers have only found 60 megamouth sharks to date.
Bonnethead Shark
Bonnethead sharks are migratory and often spotted in Western Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, and the Caribbean during the hot and colder months. They are known to have smooth, circular, and bonnet-like snouts. Unfortunately, Bonnethead sharks are considered endangered due to overfishing.
