Two Common Types of Sharks

Sharks live in the sea. In the sixteenth century they were referred to as “sea dogs” and were known to be non-ferocious creatures. But maybe as a way of adaptation to environmental changes, sharks are now known to attack when they see people. They have become dangerous creatures in the sea.

Sharks are easily recognized with their distinctive tails and sharp teeth. A big shark can gobble whole an animal or a human. There are two kinds of sharks in general: great white shark and hammerhead.

The great white shark belongs to the largest predatory fish all over the world. An adult measures more than six meters and weighs more than 2000 kilograms. This species is also known as white death or white pointer.

It is easy to spot a great white shark with its distinct features and huge size. Their snouts are very robust and conical. They have lobes of similar shape in the upper and lower parts of the tail fin.

Although known as great white sharks, they are not purely white. The body has shades of brown in the dorsal area. If not brown, some are in shades of grey or blue. This shading acts as a camouflage and makes it harder for prey to see them at once. The body colors blend with the color of the sea and the sunlight.

It is also interesting to note that great white sharks have two rows of teeth. There is another set behind the main row. This makes it easy to replace broken teeth. And this unique characteristic makes this kind of shark very aggressive in hunting preys.

They are normally found at the coastal surface waters of oceans. They can be located in Australia, South Africa, Mexico and California.

They prey on those rich in fat and energy. They thrive on smaller sharks, seals, fish, sea lions, dolphins and even turtles. They commonly attack in the morning, taking advantage of low visibility of the dawn. They have different tactics in attacking their prey.

White sharks lift their heads on the surface of the sea to gaze on their preys and other threats. They can attack boats when they see one, even as big as 10 meters.

The second kind of sharks is hammerheads. It can be easily identified with its unique head shape that resembles a flattened hammer. Hammerheads can be as long as 3 to 20 feet. Its eyes and nostrils are located at the tip of its extended head.

There are several theories for the hammer shape head. One theory states it is to increase sensory abilities. Hammerhead sharks are not capable of detecting prey and censoring volcanic activities.

Hammerheads are very aggressive predators also. They are normally found in warmer water along the coastlines and continental shelves. In day time, they gather in schools of a hundred. By evening, they become solitary hunters just like other sharks.

The shape of the head of a hammerhead shark is very useful to be able to help the animals in trap to be freed. It is also use to hold prey in the ocean floor.

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