Discover the Ocean's Apex Predators

Explore the diverse and fascinating world of sharks. Learn about their unique traits, habitats, and behaviors.

Our Sharks

Squatiniformes

Traits: 23 species, flat ray-like body, two small dorsal fins, no anal fin.

Movement: Mostly sedentary, lie buried in sand or mud for ambush hunting.

Habitat: Sandy or muddy bottoms of continental shelves and slopes in temperate and tropical seas.

Orectolobiformes

Traits: 43 species, flattened heads with short snouts, many are bottom-dwelling with camouflaged patterns.

Movement: Generally slow swimmers, adapted for ambush or filter-feeding. Whale sharks are an exception, capable of long-distance migrations.

Habitat: Primarily in tropical and warm temperate waters, including coral reefs, rocky seabeds, and open oceans.

Carcharhiniformes

Traits: The largest order with over 270 species, including tiger sharks and hammerhead sharks. They have a nictitating membrane and two dorsal fins without spines.

Habitat: Found worldwide, from shallow coastal areas to the open ocean. Some, like the bull shark, can live in freshwater.

Reproduction: Mostly viviparous, giving birth to live young.

Hexanchiformes

Traits: A primitive order with only a few species. Distinctive for having six or seven gill slits and a single dorsal fin located far back.

Habitat: Found mostly in deep waters (200-2000 meters deep) and are rarely seen by humans.

Reproduction: Most are ovoviviparous, with a notably long gestation period for the frilled shark of up to 3.5 years.

Squaliformes

Traits: 125 species, mostly deep-sea adapted with no anal fins. Spiny dogfish have spines in front of their dorsal fins.

Movement: Built for slow speeds, with tails less crescent-shaped, suited for steady cruising.

Habitat: Most species live in deep-sea habitats (200-2000 m), with some in coastal zones.

Heterodontiformes

Traits: Nine recognized species, including the Port Jackson shark. They have different types of teeth in their jaws and two dorsal fins, each with a spine.

Reproduction: Oviparous (egg-laying), with distinctive spiral-shaped egg cases.

Prey: Their teeth are adapted for crushing hard-shelled prey like mollusks and crustaceans.

Pristiophoriformes

Traits: Defined by a long, saw-like snout with sharp teeth. Has a pair of long barbels on the underside of their rostrum used for sensing prey.

Movement: Primarily sedentary, bottom-dwelling sharks that use their snout to slash and stun prey or to dig in the sand for food.

Habitat: Found on the muddy bottoms of continental shelves in temperate and tropical seas.

Lamniformes

Traits: Includes iconic species like the Great White, Mako, and Basking Shark. Known for their torpedo-like bodies.

Movement: Many species are fast, pelagic swimmers capable of long-distance migrations, while others are slower, filter-feeding types.

Habitat: Wide distribution in all depth of the oceans, preferring temperate and tropical waters varying by species.

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