How do sharks find prey?

Shark:

• The scientific classification of shark under the superorder is selachimorpha.
• Shark belongs to the phylum Chordata and the class of chondrichthyes.
• Sharks can be identified on the basis of their characteristics such as cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits on the sides of the head, pectoral fins that are found to be unfused with the head.
• Some of the most well known species of shark includes names such as tiger shark, blue shark, great white shark, mako shark, hammerhead shark, etc.
• Majority of the sharks are known to be found as cold-blooded animal.
• Cold blooded animals are those animals who do not have any fixed body temperature. In other words it can be said as their body temperature depends on the external environmental conditions. Their temperature is decided by the external situations.

How do shark find its prey?

• Shark can find its prey through different methods.
• Sharks are found to be very sensitive to smell. They can easily smell up the scent produced their prey around themselves, or they can even smell up the blood of their prey.
• Sharks also has a very good hearing ability, they are more inclined towards the sound of a wounded prey.
• The another best method used by shark to find their prey is through the electroreception or electro-sensory system.
• The head and snout if shark is covered by the sensory cells.
• These cells are very much sensitive to electricity.
• They can detect even the slightest electrical field generated by the contraction of the muscle of any of its prey.
• The another method of finding its prey is through the lateral line present on the shark.
• This lateral line consist of very sensitive cells present on it.
• These cells are capable of detecting the smallest change in the pressure of water around the shark.
• This change can let the shark know about the kind of prey or predator around it.

Fun Facts:

1. Majority of sharks have a good eyesight just like the cat, which improves its visibility in the darkness.
2. Scientist has a very unique way of counting the age of shark, they count their age by counting the number of rings present on the vertebrae of shark.
3. Sharks are estimated to be present on earth from a very long time approx. about 455 million years ago.

Related Questions:

1. Who are the predators of shark?
2. Give details about the shark.
3. Write detailed answer of few species of shark.

True or False:

1. Sharks belong to the phylum Chordata.
2. Sharks are found to be the warm-blooded animals.
3. Hammer shark is one of the famous species of shark.
4. Shark can find its prey though one method only.
5. Shark are found to have very low hearing ability.

Objective Quiz:

1. Shark belongs to the phylum _______.
   1. Chordata.
   2. Annelida.
   3. Porifera.
   4. All of the above.
2. Majority of the sharks are found to be _______.
   1. Cold-blooded animals.
   2. Warm blooded animals.
   3. Thermoregulation animals.
   4. None of the above.
3. Sharks can be classified on the basis of _______.
   1. Cartilaginous skeleton.
   2. Unattached pectoral fins to the head.
   3. Five to seven gills slits on the side of head.
   4. All of the above.
4. Sharks are very sensitive to _____.
   1. Smell.
   2. Dust.
   3. Wounded prey.
   4. Both 1) and 3).
5. Shark can find its prey through the ________.
   1. Electroreception.
   2. Thermal heat.
   3. Electric-charge
   4. None of the above.