Facts on The World’s Largest Predatory Fish: The Great White Shark

Facts on the World’s Largest Predatory Fish: The Great White Shark

© Dr.P.Elayaraja

Sharks, even the name in the dream would scare us. Sharks have skeletons made of cartilage and therefore are grouped as chondrichthyes. Due to the presence of cartilage as their endoskeleton they have more flexible body that the bony fish. Skates and rays also have cartilaginous skeleton. Fossils of sharks that have been recovered date back almost 400 million years. There are about 300 species of shark and the great white shark is the world’s largest predatory fish.

Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias ) are dreaded because of their wild and violent temperament. This species of sharks are found in the all the temperate coastal regions of the oceans.  White death, white pointer and white shark are the other names by which this species is called.

The Ampullae of Lorenzini are a network of canals filled with jelly present in almost all the shark species. This sense organ (electroreceptor) is well developed in great white sharks. They are extremely sensitive and can detect electrical field emitted by movement of other living organisms.

The great white sharks measure between 12 and 16 feet in length and can even grow over 20 feet. The streamlines body with a torpedo shaped snout helps them to move with an immense speed.

At a given time, the great white shark has 300-800 teeth arranged in several rows. The triangular teeth are very sharp and have serrated edges. They are often termed as mindless killing machines, but latest research findings through new light on them.

Of the total shark attacks only one-third of them are due to the great white sharks. In most of the occasions they do not attack the humans to prey on them. They bite the victim out of curiosity and then let the injured person.

© Dr.P.Elayaraja