Dangerous and Deadly Sea Creatures: Great White Shark

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a species of large lamniform shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The great white shark is mainly known for its size, with mature individuals growing up to 6.4 m (21 ft) in length (although reports have been published of great white sharks measuring over 8 m (26 ft), and 3,324 kg (7,328 lb) in weight).

There is no doubt that the great white shark sits atop the ocean food chain. The world’s largest predatory fish can weigh in at over 5,000 pounds (2,270 kilograms). Great whites boast some 300 teeth, which they typically sink into sea lions, seals, small toothed whales, sea turtles, and carrion. These sharks are responsible for a third to a half of the 100-odd shark attacks on humans every year, but the strikes are usually unintentional and rarely prove fatal.

This shark reaches its maturity around 15 years of age and was previously believed to have a life span of over 30 years. The true lifespan of great white sharks is far longer; now estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, making it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known. Great white sharks can accelerate to speeds that exceed 56 km/h (35 mph).

The great white shark has a robust, large, conical snout. The upper and lower lobes on the tail fin are approximately the same size which is similar to some mackerel sharks.

Great white sharks, like all other sharks, have an extra sense given by the Ampullae of Lorenzini which enables them to detect the electromagnetic field emitted by the movement of living animals. Every time a living creature moves, it generates an electrical field and great whites are so sensitive they can detect half a billionth of a volt.

Great white sharks are carnivorous and prey upon fish (e.g. tuna, rays, and other sharks), cetaceans (i.e., dolphins, porpoises, and whales), pinnipeds (e.g. seals, fur seals, and sea lions), sea turtles, sea otters, and seabirds.

 

Quick stats and scientific classification of Great white sharks:

Kingdom:        Animalia

Phylum:           Chordata

Class:  Chondrichthyes

Subclass:        Elasmobranchii

Order: Lamniformes

Family:            Lamnidae

Genus:            Carcharodon (A. Smith, 1838)

Species:          C. carcharias

Of all shark species, the great white shark is responsible for by far the largest number of recorded shark attacks on humans, with 272 documented unprovoked attacks on humans in which the great white shark was identified as of 2012.