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Sharks and Rays
Cartilaginous Fish
Sharks, including rays and sandsharks, are cartilaginous fish. They are cold blooded vertebrates that live in water, breathe by means of gills and use fins for locomotion. Their skeleton is composed of cartilage instead of true bone. The sharks or cartilaginous fish have five to seven gill openings on either side of the head. They are covered with a rough skin made up of tiny teeth-like structures called dermal denticles. Most sharks have a number of rows of teeth in their jaw and as one tooth falls out it is replaced by another tooth from the row behind. These magnificent creatures have been around for 400 million years - they have outlived the dinosaurs. They are perfectly adapted for life in water. There are over 350 species of shark ranging in size from the enormous whale shark, which can grow to over 18m in length to the tiny spined pygmy shark, which measures a mere 18 cm. They are found throughout the oceans of the world ranging from the icy Polar Regions to warm tropical regions. They occur from the depths of the ocean to near the surface. Some, such as the Zambezi shark, can even be found in fresh water.
Sharks, with their profusion of sharp teeth, conjure up images of shark attack in the minds of most people. Their bad reputation is the result of the isolated attacks which occur periodically along our coast. In many cases, sharks mistake humans in wet suits for a delectable seal or turtle. It is important to remember that sharks play an important role in marine ecosystems, as they are often the top predators. Although there are over 350 species of shark worldwide, only 20 are known to be potentially dangerous to man. There are fewer than 75 shark attacks per annum worldwide, swimming in the sea is definitely safer than many other recreational pursuits!
