Sharks, Sarah Mathis, Rainbow Vixen [books for 10th graders .TXT] 📗

Angel Shark

Behavior: Torpid by day, lying buried with eyes protruding out of the sand or mud. They swim strongly off of the bottom at night. They are seasonally migratory in colder water, moving northwards in the summer.

 

The shark is born at a length of 0.8 to1 ft [24 to 30 cm]. Females mature at 4.1 to 5.5 ft [126 to167 cm], and males reach a maximum length of 6 to 7.3 ft [183 to 224 cm]. Also, The shark prefers mud and sand bottoms inshore 16.4 ft [5 m] on coasts and estuaries up to over 492.1 [150 m] on the continental shelf.

Bahamas Sawshark

Behavior: Unknown

The shark has 23 large, lateral sawteeth, 13 before and 10 behind the barbels. Juveniles usually have one smaller tooth between its large lateral teeth. They grow to 2.7 ft [81 cm] or more. They can be found on or near the bottom of continental and insular slopes, between 1437 to 3123.4 ft [438 to 952 m] deep.

Basking shark

Behavior: They are highly migratory, and often seen feeding on surface aggregations of plankton, moving slowly forward with open mouth. The sharks are sometimes seen in large groups. Complex courtship behavior has been reported. Can leap out of the water!

 

Their habitat is Coast to edge of the continental shelf. and Males mature at less than 18 ft. [5.7 m], females at 26 ft. [8 m], maximum size 33 ft.[10 m].

Blacktip Reef Shark

Behavior: On flood tide swarms of blacktip reef sharks move over shallow reef flats. They are often seen swimming in calf-deep water with the tips of their dorsal fins breaking the surface.

 

This is the most commonly encountered shark in the tropical Indo-Pacific, and the Teeth of the upper jaw are narrow and erect with coarse serrations and cusplets, lower jaw teeth are erect to oblique with narrow serrated cusps. Most adults are less than 5.25 ft [1.6 m] total length. Males mature at 3 to 3.25 ft [91 to 100 cm] and attain a length of 5.9 ft [1.8 m]. Females mature between 3.15 and 3.7 ft [96 and 112 cm], and may reach a length of 4.3 ft [1.3 m].

Blue Shark

Behavior: Blue sharks cruise slowly at the surface with the tips of their dorsal and tail fins out of the water, and long pectoral fins extended. These sharks are most active in the early evening and at night when they may move inshore. They form large aggregations (where still sufficiently abundant) to feed on shoals of prey or carrion. They are highly migratory with complex movements related to prey availability and reproductive cycles. Blue sharks segregate by age, sex, and reproductive phase: juveniles, sub-adults, mature sharks, and pregnant females are usually found in separate areas, with adult males and females meeting only briefly to mate. The sharks move seasonally to higher latitudes where prey is more abundant in productive oceanic convergence or boundary zones. They have frequent vertical excursions made into deep water or to the thermocline, returning regularly to the surface (possibly to prevent body cooling). Tagging studies have demonstrated that Atlantic Blue Sharks undertake numerous trans-Atlantic migrations, swimming slowly with the major current systems. Pacific blue sharks may migrate up to 5716.6 miles [9200 km]. Their habitat is Oceanic and pelagic, usually off the edge of the continental shelf from 0 to 1148.3 ft [0 to 350 m] (deeper in warmer waters). Migrations often follow major trans-oceanic currents. They occasionally venture inshore at night, particularly around oceanic islands or where the continental shelf is narrow. Their nursery areas are offshore. Their teeth are Curved, saw-edged, triangular upper teeth. and At birth, the shark is 1.1 to1.4 ft [35 to 44 cm] in length. Males mature at 6 to 9.2 ft [182 to 281 cm], while females mature at about 7.2 ft [220 cm]. Their maximum length is about 12.5 [380 cm].

Bluegray Carpet Shark

Behavior: Unknown

 

For habitat, They prefer the bottom of the ocean floor in very shallow inshore areas, less than 19.7 ft [6 m]. 

At birth, the shark is 17 to 18 cm in length. Males mature when they are about a length of 1.6 ft [50 cm], and females at about 2.1 ft [65 cm]. They can grow to be over 2.5 ft [75 cm]. Also, these sharks are considered rare.

Bluntnose Sixgill Shark

Behavior: The shark is sluggish, but it is a strong swimmer. Apparently it is nocturnal and very sensitive to high light levels.

 

Their habitat is Marine or benthic and pelagic. The shark is found on continental and insular shelves and upper slopes, from the surface to 6,150 ft [1875 m]. Juveniles are often found close inshore. Their teeth are Fang-like teeth in upper jaw, broad saw-like teeth in lower jaw. Also, Maximum total length is 15.8 ft [4.82 m]. Females mature at 14.7 to 15.7 ft [4.5 to 4.8 m].

 

Bigeye Thresher Shark

Behavior: Uses its tail to stun pelagic fishes on which it feeds.

 

These sharks frequent tropical and temperate seas, close inshore to open ocean. They range from the surface to over 1640.4 ft [500 m] deep, but mostly between the surface and 328.1 ft [100 m]. At birth, the shark is 3.3 to 4.6 ft [100 to 140 cm] in length. Males mature at about 9.8 ft [300 cm] in length, and females mature at about 9.8-11.5 ft [300-350 cm]. Their maximum length can be greater than 15.1 ft [460 cm].

Blacknose Shark

Behavior: This shark may perform a ‘hunch’ display (back arched, caudal lowered, head raised), when they feel threatened. They migrate short distances seasonally.

 

Their habitat is Coastal continental and insular shelves, mainly over sand, shell and coral, between 60 to 210 ft [18 to 64 m] deep. The shark is 1.1 to 1.6 ft [38 to 50 cm] at birth. Males mature at a length of 3.2 to 3.5 ft [97 to106 cm] and females mature at approximately 3.4 ft [103 cm]. Their maximum length can be 4.5 to