There are about 480 shark species on the planet. Of these, almost 90 have already been spotted off the Brazilian coast. For a fish to be considered a shark, it usually needs to have a number of characteristics, including…
…be a predator
…having an elongated body and cartilaginous skeleton
…Have an asymmetrical tail (with the top always longer than the bottom) and a pointed snout
…Having tough, rough skin.
As some of these characteristics are also found in rays, sharks can be considered “relatives” of these animals. Among the best known species are the white shark, the hammerhead and the whale, the largest of which reaches 18 meters in length. Scientists believe that sharks appeared about 200 million years ago, when the Earth was still inhabited by dinosaurs. Highly adapted, they are found in all oceans and, despite being relentless predators, they also have weaknesses. Most species, for example, cannot stop swimming, at the risk of sinking and dying. That’s because many sharks lack an organ called a swim bladder, a kind of air bag responsible for fish buoyancy. Another weak point is the precarious vision of the shark, which makes it only see a few meters away. Myopia, however, is compensated by a super sense of smell: he captures a single drop of blood in the sea a hundred meters away! Contrary to popular belief, most sharks are not aggressive. Of the approximately 400 species, only 30 are involved in attacks on humans. 🙂
Some beasts even give bites that measure almost 1.5 meters in diameter
OCEAN WHITE-GILL SHARK (Carchahinus longimanus)
Size – 4 meters
Weight – 180 kilos
Where it lives – Tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans
This shark, common throughout Brazil, is also on the list of the most aggressive. The white tip usually lives on the high seas and feeds in general on tuna, barracuda and marlin. It dives up to 150 meters deep and is so named because its fin that appears on the surface (known as the gall) is spotted white.
WHITE SHARK (Carcharadon carcharias)
Size – 6 meters
Weight – 3 tons
Where it lives – In all oceans, but mostly off the coast of Australia, California and South Africa
Greatest predator in the seas, the white shark has large arrow-shaped teeth. Despite its name, only its underbelly is white, while the rest of its body is dark grey. When hunting, it is able to project its mouth out of its face, increasing its bite size to almost 1.5 meters in diameter!
HAMMER SHARK (Sphyrna mokarran)
Size – 4.5 meters
Weight – 430 kilos
Where it lives – Tropical and temperate regions of the planet
Hammerhead shark is a generic name given to at least ten species of shark. They are so named for the resemblance of their head to the shape of a hammer. The species Sphyrna mokarran is the largest of these. Some species are so voracious that their individuals even practice cannibalism.
WHALE SHARK (Rhiniodon typus)
Size – 18 meters
Weight – 15 tons
Where it lives – In various parts of the planet, but it is most common in the Indian Ocean
Considered the largest fish on the planet — it is worth remembering that real whales are mammals — this shark is a harmless species, which only feeds on plankton and small fish. It swims slowly and its body is dark with whitish spots. Biologists believe that he can live more than 100 years!
TIGER SHARK (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Size – 6 meters
Weight – 1 100 kilos
Where it lives – In tropical waters, including the Brazilian coast
More slender than the white shark, but also quite aggressive, the tiger is responsible for most of the attacks on bathers on the coast of Pernambuco. When attacking its victim, it violently shakes its head from side to side. Its favorite prey are sea turtles, other smaller sharks and fish in general.
FLATHEAD SHARK (Carcharhinus leucas)
Size – 3.5 meters
Weight – 230 kilos
Where it lives – Close to shore in tropical and subtropical seas
This dangerous species is quite versatile: bull sharks have already been found in the Amazon River, 4 thousand kilometers from the sea! Experts speculate that his ferocity is linked to his body’s high level of testosterone, but this has yet to be definitively proven.
PYGMY SHARK (Squaliolus laticaudus)
Size – About 20cm
Weight – 500 grams
Where it lives – Tropical regions of the oceans, including southern Brazil
One of the smallest shark species in existence (if not the smallest), the pygmy shark almost fits in the palm of your hand. It lives in abyssal depths, between 200 and 500 meters, where darkness reigns. Therefore, the sides of its black body are bioluminescent (emit light). It feeds on small shrimp and lantern fish.