SHARKS AND OTHER DEADLY OCEAN CREATURE

LESMHONARK DATA FILE

Negaprion brevirostris PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 11.2 ft (3.4 m) long
Warm, sunny lagoons are the favorite HABITAT: Warm, shallow coastal
habitat of this tropical hunter. After waters of tropical Atlantic and
mating, pregnant female lemon sharks Pacific oceans
gather in the lagoons of the Caribbean to DIET: Fish and, sometimes, seabirds
give birth. Baby lemon sharks will spend
their early years here, growing up in the shbiananUrbupkayrsstsolicenear5mgyn0.leol0ivne
safety of a tropical nursery.

Lemon-yellow tinge
of color is best seen
in sunlit lagoons

Bluntly
rounded
snout

Lemon shark, side view Inshore marauders

149

BUsLLhark Big, triangular, first
dorsal fin may stick out
Carcharhinus leucas
of the water when the
shark is in the shallows

The bull shark lives in coastal waters that are
often made murky by mud running in from the
land, but it regularly goes beyond the estuaries to
swim up rivers. Adventurous bull sharks can travel
thousands of miles inland, sometimes crossing
rapids to do so.

Inshore maraudersData fiLe

Predator Power

Size: Up to 11 ft (3.4 m) long

diStribution: Coastal waters and
rivers, and in tropical and warm,
temperate oceans
diet: Fish, crustaceans, turtles,
echinoderms, birds, and mammals

150

Large, thick head
has small eyes and

a short snout

Bull shark, side view

hBboueunmlalttashthneraaasrchkcttsoeidrvmeitt.aoyyInshore marauders

151

SAFRRCAISNTIGC EHEAD Fighting
jfarpwainussgstthehohogtheueaetghdihresr,
Neoclinus blanchardi
kissing.
The extraordinary threat display of
this fish is worse than its bite. The DATA FILE
fringehead spends much of its time
in a burrow, occasionally coming out PREDATOR POWER
to hunt shrimps and small crabs. If
two fringeheads come face to face, SIZE: Up to 11.8 in (30 cm) long
they flare out their jaws to show that
each is the boss of its own territory. DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
off California
DIET: Crustaceans

Much of the
eellike body is
concealed inside a
burrow or tube

Inshore marauders
Fringehead, top view
152

ATWLANOTILCF-FISH DATA FILE

Anarhichas lupus PREDATOR POWER

The formidable jaws and teeth of the SIZE: Up to 4.9 ft (1.5 m) long
wolf-fish are good for eating snails,
crabs, and sea urchins. Crunching DISTRIBUTION: Cold coastal waters
through hard shells is no problem for of North Atlantic Ocean
this cold-water predator. Unlike most DIET: Mollusks, crustaceans,
oceanic bony fish—which scatter their and echinoderms
eggs in the water for fertilization—this
fish has internal fertilization. The
males protect the brood in a nest
for several months.

Daggerlike teeth at the bliAfonloostuwdhbiikssnetfgaiesnpihncs’esit
front are so big they the cold.
protrude from the mouth

Atlantic wolf-fish, Inshore marauders
side view

153

KILWLEHR ALE Dorsal fin in adult is the biggest
of any marine mammal, and is
Orcinus orca as tall as an adult human. The
dorsal fin of males is much
The killer whale, also called orca, is the bigger than that of females
biggest member of the dolphin family. (female in image).
Like other dolphins, it has a taste for fish.
However, it hunts big marine mammals
too, and regularly comes close to the
shoreline on the trail of seals. Killer whales
travel together in groups called “pods,”
which sometimes consist of more than
50 individuals.

Inshore marauders

154

Killer whale, side view DATA FILE

Black upper side PREDATOR POWER
contrasts sharply with
white underside and SIZE: Up to 31.2 ft (9.5 m) long
patches behind eyes
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
worldwide, but mainly in
cooler regions
DIET: Fish, squid, seals, dolphins,
and marine birds

thoKuiclnlaettricnwhtsheeaaalmelsss. Inshore marauders

155

LESOPEAARDL Stocky head
with strong jaws
Hydrurga leptonyx

Most kinds of seals hunt fish only, but the
leopard seal sometimes likes meatier prey.
Although its teeth are not as daggerlike as
those of many land carnivores, its jaws are
very strong, and it is capable of killing a
penguin by shaking it. This seal waits to
grab a penguin as it jumps into the water,
and sometimes smacks it on the water’s
surface to knock it senseless.

Inshore maraudersScattered, dark The
spots give the tielneektotrehiprlllatoforrcdoskmtssreaiatisnl

leopard seal the water.
its name
DATA FILE
Leopard seal,
side view PREDATOR POWER

156 SIZE: Up to 11.2 ft (3.4 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Rocky coastlines
and coastal waters around
Antarctica
DIET: Fish, squid and octopuses,
krill, other seals, and penguins

SOEULTHEEPRHN ANT SEAL isltahnTehdih-sgesoaeivanilegst
marine
Mirounga leonina
carnivore.

An elephant seal can spend up to eight DATA FILE
months of the year out at sea fishing for
food. This giant among seals can dive more PREDATOR POWER
than 0.6 miles (1 km) below the surface for
fish, and can hold its breath for up to two SIZE: 9.8–16.4 ft (3–5 m) long;
hours—longer than most other marine males are bigger, and much heavier,
mammals. However, when it is time to breed, than females
the southern elephant seal returns to shore DISTRIBUTION: Coastlines and
to mate and give birth, like other seals. coastal ocean waters of Antarctica
and southern tip of South America
DIET: Fish and squid

Males use their fleshy
proboscis (long nose)

to louden their roar

Southern elephant seal, side view Inshore marauders
157

SEOA TTER DATA FILE

Enhydris lutris PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 4.9 ft (1.5 m) long
The sea otter is the smallest marine HABITAT: North Pacific shorelines
mammal. It lacks the thick blubber of and coastal waters of Russia and
bigger ocean mammals, so stays warm in North America
cold Pacific waters with a fur coat so dense DIET: Mollusks, crabs, and
that little of the animal’s precious body sea urchins
heat escapes. Sea otters pick up rocks with
their front paws and use them to smash Sea otter,
open clams and other prey. They can even front view
do this on the flat of their bellies while
floating on their back in the water.

Dense fur keeps otter
warm, so it can float on

its back in icy water

Sea ottersInshore marauders
have the
densest fur

of any
mammal.

158

EMPPEERNOGR UIN

Aptenodytes forsteri

Small feathers trap
air close to the body
to help with insulation

anTidhomuinAsarnmilinstthagathariwncettlbiioancrnnateeldeyrd. s

Wings flap up and
down for propulsion

Emperor penguin,
side view

Emperor penguins hunt fish in the DATA FILE
icy waters around Antarctica, but,
remarkably, also journey into the PREDATOR POWER
frozen continent on foot to breed.
Here the males endure the bitter polar SIZE: Up to 3.9 ft (1.2 m) high
winter as they incubate their eggs,
waiting for the females to bring a meal HABITAT: Shorelines and coastal Inshore marauders
of fish once the eggs have hatched. waters of Antarctica
DIET: Fish, squid, and krill

159

SACLTRWOATCEOR DILE Saltwater
crocodiles
Crocodylus porosus
can stay
The world’s largest reptile, the saltwater crocodile swutboamt2eerhrfgooeurdrusip.n
is a predator of tropical swamplands. It can snatch
large mammals from the waterside, pulling them Darker markings
into the water, while rolling over to drown its prey. on yellowish scales
Unlike other crocodilians, it tolerates saltwater, so
regularly swims out to sea, sometimes reaching fade as animal
remote oceanic islands. grows older

160

DATA FILE

PREDATOR POWER

SIZE: Up to 20.3 ft (6.2 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Rivers, estuaries,
and coastlines of India, Southeast
Asia, New Guinea, and Australia
DIET: Mammals, birds, and fish

Eyes have a transparent third eyelid,
called a nictitating membrane

Unlike in alligators,
the fourth tooth
of the lower jaw

pokes into a notch
in the upper jaw

Inshore marauders

161

SESANAKE DATA FILE

Hydrophis sp. PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 9 ft (2.75 m) long
Probably no other reptile is as well DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
adapted to ocean life as a sea snake. waters of Indian and Pacific oceans
Unlike turtles, which have to lay eggs on DIET: Small fish and invertebrates
land, sea snakes give birth to live young in
the water. These snakes are close relatives thhavSeaneevynsaetosrsnomonannaskegkeoeeo.fssft
of land cobras and share their potent
venom, using it to immobilize their prey. No enlarged belly scales
for gripping ground, such
Paddle-like tail propels as in land-living snakes
snake in water

Inshore marauders

162

NAUTILUS DATA FILE

Nautilus pompilius PREDATOR POWER

The nautilus is often described as a “living SIZE: Up to 7.9 in (20 cm) long
fossil,” because it has changed very little
over millions of years of evolution. It DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
belongs to a group of animals called waters of Indian and western
cephalopods, which includes the squid Pacific oceans
and octopus. Its tentacles are too feeble DIET: Crustaceans, other small,
to tackle big prey, and its jet-propelled slow-moving animals, and
swimming movements are rather sluggish. dead animals

Whorled, chambered shell Jheebtlappcrsokiwpt mualrosdivoen
in water.

Has more tentacles than Inshore marauders
either a squid or an octopus

163

PEMACAOCNKTIS SHRIMP

Odontodactylus scyllarus

Highly sophisticated eyes
provide the most complex
color vision of any animal

A mantis
smshoarusimht oiptfscaawnnay

aquarium.

Claws modified
into clubs

Inshore marauders There are two kinds of mantis shrimp— DATA FILE
stabbers and smashers. Stabbers have
spiny claws that spear prey, but the PREDATOR POWER
colorful peacock mantis shrimp uses
a club to smash through shells. The SIZE: Up to 7.1 in (18 cm) long
mantis shrimp lives in a burrow, the
entrance of which is usually littered DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
with the broken fragments of its prey. waters of Indian and western
Pacific oceans
DIET: Shelled mollusks
and crustaceans

164

SMPOIOSTTHO-CLLASWHEDRIMP unidpTnmehinturehwccesehnarosatocepmferptaanhinknoe.egise

Alpheus paracrinitus Bold, colored
patterns
This little shrimp disables prey in
a remarkable way. It has a special
claw that can snap shut with such
speed and force that it generates
shock waves. These are powerful
enough to stun small animals
nearby. The shrimp then drags
the immobile victims into its
lair to eat them alive.

Enlarged pincer DATA FILE Inshore marauders
generates shock waves
PREDATOR POWER

SIZE: Up to 0.7 in (1.8 cm) long

DISTRIBUTION: Tropical reefs of
Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea
DIET: Other small crustaceans and
small fish

165



PREDATORS
OF THE
REEF

Tropical coral reefs are extremely
rich in ocean life. Coral not only
forms an ocean habitat, but is itself
a predator. In warm, sunny waters,
it grows into huge rocky colonies,
which are covered in billions of
plankton-grabbing tentacles. Many
predators live on the reef, including
many species of shark.

BLSACHKATIPRK Fin tips are often
black, but the
Carcharhinus limbatus markings may fade
in older sharks
The blacktip shark thrives in shallow
waters around estuaries and muddy
mangrove swamps. It is an acrobatic
predator that gathers in large
numbers to charge at shoaling fish.
When doing this, blacktip sharks
will sometimes jump right out of
the water and spin around in midair.

Predators of the reefswThthhahoerreukenbteclioaattfncijmuktshtmpeiepsipns DATA FILE
water.
PREDATOR POWER
168
SIZE: Up to 8.5 ft (2.6 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of warm,
temperate and tropical oceans, and
Mediterranean and Red seas
DIET: Fish, crustaceans, and squid

OCWEAHNIICTETIP SHARK

Carcharhinus longimanus

One of the most abundant of all sharks,
the oceanic whitetip shark is especially
common around remote islands, but can
also wander far from the shore. It is not

as speedy as some other open-
ocean sharks, but it is more
aggressive around prey,
especially when it gathers
together in groups.

Long, paddle-like pectoral smsThahataelfrlekweerbhdsuiihtlnelagiterikpss DATA FILE
fins spread wide as the frenzies.
shark cruises beneath PREDATOR POWER
the ocean surface
SIZE: Up to 12.8 ft (3.9 m) long
Predators of the reef
DISTRIBUTION: Surface waters of
open oceans and island coastlines
in tropical and subtropical regions
DIET: Large fish, squid, seabirds,
and mammals

169

SILSKHY ARK DATA FILE

Carcharhinus falciformis PREDATOR POWER

Most of the silky sharks seen swimming SIZE: Up to 10.8 ft (3.3 m) long
over reefs close to the shore are likely to
be immature ones. As individuals of this DISTRIBUTION: Coastal and open
species grow older, they spend more time waters of tropical oceans and
in the open ocean. The silky shark has Mediterranean Sea
especially sensitive hearing, which helps DIET: Fish, squid, and
it home in on the deep, rumbling sounds swimming crabs
coming from a shark feeding frenzy.
shtaishtkrTsikshinn’hesagussmminivletkeoe.ysor th
Smooth skin is due to network of
tiny, densely-packed denticles Upper body may
(tiny, toothlike scales) appear blackish

Long, narrowPredators azof the reef
pectoral fin

170

DUSSHKYARK toafitsTlehhinnaegrbdkesuchssaiekpnyesn.

Carcharhinus obscurus Gray- or bronze-
colored upper body

Dusky-tipped fin
is not as boldly

marked as in some
other related species

Like many of the related reef sharks, DATA FILE Predators of the reef
the dusky shark likes warm waters,
although it migrates away from the PREDATOR POWER
tropics during the hottest months
of the year. Females move closer to SIZE: Up to 13.1 ft (4 m) long
shore to give birth to their pups.
Here, the youngsters will gather in DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
shoals before they grow into adults in tropical and warm, temperate
and venture out into deeper water. oceans worldwide
DIET: Fish (including other sharks)
and crustaceans

171

GASLAHPAAGROKS mThayishsuhnarckh
netoairttbhsyrbedaaicvtkeenrs.
Carcharhinus galapagensis
Gray-brown upper
body fades to
whitish below

Large, sickle-shaped
pectoral fins may
have dusky tips

Predators of the reef Despite its name, the Galapagos DATA FILE
shark is not confined to the Pacific
Ocean’s Galapagos Islands, but lives PREDATOR POWER
around most tropical islands on
Earth. It apparently favors rocky SIZE: Possibly up to 12.1 ft
habitats, in which the currents can (3.7 m) long
be especially strong. This shark swims
in groups and has a reputation for DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
being aggressive, even dominating around islands in warm, temperate
other kinds of shark near prey. and tropical oceans worldwide
DIET: Mainly bottom-living fish

172

CARRIEBEBEFANSHARK Upper body is
dark grayish or
Carcharhinus perezi brownish in color

The Caribbean reef shark lies Faint, white band on
motionless, seemingly asleep, in the side of the body
caves or on the ocean floor. This near the rear, like in
allows divers to approach it, making related sharks
it quite popular with tourist divers.
This tropical American predator uses
the muscles at the back of its throat
to pump water over its gills,
supplying them
with oxygen.

DATA FILE Large, narrow Predators of the reef
pectoral fins
PREDATOR POWER
shhuatrTrmikheaisosnntdodloyibcvriiaelterrese.ly
SIZE: Up to 9.8 ft (3 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
and river mouths of western Atlantic
Ocean and Caribbean Sea
DIET: Fish

173

BLRACEKETIFP SHARK Prominent black fin
tips are underlined
Carcharhinus melanopterus with white

One of the most common species of reef shark in the
tropical Indo-Pacific, the blacktip reef shark is a fast-moving
predator. It stays in midwater or close to the bottom, but
sometimes moves into the shallows, where its dorsal fin can
be seen sticking up out of the water. It even occasionally
ventures into brackish (slightly salty) waters of estuaries.

Short, White band
rounded snout runs along side
of body toward
the rear

Predators of the reefDATA FILE offTanrhveooiosetnrfslieheftoeaanrvrdpkyea.ewittacsirhlsl

PREDATOR POWER

SIZE: Up to 6.6 ft (2 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of tropical
Indian and western Pacific oceans,
and Mediterranean and Red seas
DIET: Fish, crustaceans, squid,
and mollusks

174

GRRAYEEF SHARK

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos

Very popular with tourists, the gray reef
shark is a highly common reef shark in the
tropics. It swims in groups in shallow water
and is sometimes curious enough to
approach divers. At night, the groups
seem to get more restless
and disperse into more
open waters.

regfeaePftmrhgseehargrolaneiurnakgpnslrsaatm.rygaey White underside
contrasts with
gray upper body Predators of the reef

Black-tipped fins

DATA FILE

PREDATOR POWER

SIZE: Possibly up to 8.2 ft
(2.5 m) long
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters of
the tropical and warm, temperate
Indian and western Pacific oceans
DIET: Fish, squid, octopuses,
and crustaceans

175

BRWONHZEALER Grayish upper body
has a bronze sheen
Carcharhinus brachyurus
Black fin edges
wksTihmlnhoadeowlsesbetorrroofgttsnrhhhozaeaewnrrks. may be clearer
on some fins
Long than others
pectoral fins

Predators of the reef Each year large numbers of the DATA FILE
bronze whaler gather along the East
African coast to follow the sardine PREDATOR POWER
run, a seasonal northward migration
of massive shoals of sardines that SIZE: Up to 9.5 ft (2.9 m) long
attracts many of the ocean’s predators.
Bronze whalers in other parts of the DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
world also make small migrations, of Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian
but the reasons are not always clear. oceans, and Mediterranean Sea
DIET: Fish, squid, and octopuses

176

BLSUEHARK iOnfstpheaancrkkhssu,anbrtleiuneg
called the
Prionace glauca “wolves of
the sea.”
Unlike the related reef sharks, the blue shark spends
much of its life away from coastlines. By hunting
in groups, it can make shoals of prey bunch together,
even in the wide expanse of the open ocean. These
hunters take turns to grab a mouthful from
the gathered prey.

Long, narrow pectoral fins These sharks feed
are good for turning at predominantly at night
speed while swimming and probably use their

DATA FILE large, well-developed
eyes at close range to
PREDATOR POWER detect bioluminescence

SIZE: Up to 12.5 ft (3.8 m) long Predators of the reef

DISTRIBUTION: Open ocean
worldwide, except in the coldest
regions, and Mediterranean Sea
DIET: Fish, squid, other
invertebrates, and seabirds

177

WHRIETEETIFP SHARK Slender body and extra
tough skin help the shark
Triaenodon obesus hunt easily among rocks

The whitetip reef shark prowls the rocky
crevices of a tropical reef in search of prey.
Small fish dart between rocks that provide
a safe hiding spot, but this shark’s small,
slender body is perfect for reaching them.
Sometimes, if the shark fails to make a grab
straight away, it waits patiently between
the rocks until its prey emerges.

Strong brow ridges
protect the eyes of
the shark as it probes
between rocks for prey

Predators of the reefDATA FILE

PREDATOR POWER

SIZE: Up to 5.2 ft (1.6 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of
tropical Indian and Pacific oceans,
and Red Sea
DIET: Fish, octopuses, lobsters,
and crabs

178

1.8frr6aomTrmmeholiihrysleeoststrmhha(aaev3rnekiknlms )
a year.

White tip on
dorsal fin

Predators of the reef

179

GRHEAATMMERHEAD

Sphyrna mokarran

The great hammerhead shark may Enormous, first dorsal fin
swim over coral reefs, but it often stands higher than those
goes further into the open ocean of any other hammerhead
on its journey to new coastlines.
Like other hammerheads, the great
hammerhead sweeps the ocean
bottom with its “hammer” to
sense bottom-living prey and has
a particular taste for stingrays.

Predators of the reef

180

Distinct notch in the
center of the “hammer”

hihsaatomTmhfhemmaeblegelirgrtrhhehgeaeeeatasddt
sharks.

Pectoral and pelvic DATA FILE Predators of the reef
fins curve back
PREDATOR POWER
strongly along their
rear margins SIZE: Up to 20 ft (6.1 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
of tropical and warm, temperate
oceans worldwide
DIET: Stingrays, groupers, and
sea catfish

181

SCHALALOMPEDMERHEAD Front edge of
hammer is wavy
Sphyrna lewini

Eyes on hammer
tips give a wide

field of view

The hammerhead shark’s
wide head is packed with
sensors that detect the
movement and scent of prey.
The scalloped hammerhead
has a taste for stingrays
buried in mud and sand.
To find its prey, it sweeps its
head over the ocean bottom,
like a metal detector, grabbing
any ray hidden beneath.

Predators of the reef whpsTaiwrhtmoheivmmlhiidfametemrwishnmethghaee.ednr DATA FILE

PREDATOR POWER

SIZE: Up to 13.8 ft (4.2 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Coastal ocean
waters worldwide
DIET: Fish (including other sharks
and rays) and invertebrates

182

CRSOTWANR-OFF-ITSHHORNS DATA FILE

Acanthaster planci PREDATOR POWER

Here is the ultimate enemy of coral. It is SIZE: Up to 27.6 in (70 cm)
one of the biggest of all starfish and has in diameter
an appetite to match. It creeps on tiny
tube feet over the surface of a coral DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
colony, nibbling away at the fleshy polyps. waters of Indian and Pacific oceans,
Few animals can eat this starfish, and so and Red Sea
heavy infestations of the crown-of-thorns DIET: Coral reef polyps
can cause serious damage to a reef.

Spines can transfer
poison, causing swelling
and pain to human skin

Up to 21 arms

A single Predators of the reef
ksitlal(6r6f4issq.h6mcsaq)nft

of coral in
a year.

183

GRMEEON RAY EEL Mouth is kept open
to keep water
Gymnothorax funebris
moving through
Morays include the biggest kinds of eel. Most small gill openings
live in rocky lairs on coral reefs and rely on
surprise to ambush passing prey. Some
morays seem to cooperate with predatory
grouper fish in driving prey into the open
from between rocks—so both hunters end
up with a share of the meal.

Predators of the reefoMfatnjopharoerwaopxysatsortiuahnthtasttvaheoetet irYellowish or greenishDATA FILE
grab prey. color comes from
a protective PREDATOR POWER
184 mucus coating
SIZE: Up to 8.2 ft (2.5 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
waters of the Gulf of Mexico and
Caribbean Sea
DIET: Fish, crabs, squid, and shrimps

HUWMPRHAEASDSE DATA FILE

Cheilinus undulatus PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 7.5 ft (2.3 m) long
This reef-dwelling fish is a big, unfussy DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of
predator and will tackle prey that many Indian and western Pacific oceans,
other hunters find distasteful or even and Red Sea
poisonous. Juveniles usually stay hidden DIET: Mollusks, fish, sea urchins,
among rocks and seaweed, but big adults crustaceans, and other invertebrates
patrol more open water on the edge of the
reef. Adults change sex when they reach tehaaTaonshtricimnpsrsooafiswilsstshaon, rsm-nfouiosafcuh-yh.s
maturity, turning from female to male
after about nine years.

Forehead hump is
prominent in bigger,

older individuals

Thick, Predators of the reef
fleshy lips

185

BRCAOINRAL DATA FILE

Colpophyllia natans PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Colony up to 6.6 ft (2 m)
Coral may look like lifeless rock, but in in diameter
fact it is a colony of tiny predators. At DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of Gulf
night, its rocky skeleton comes alive with of Mexico and Caribbean Sea
thousands of tiny polyps. Each polyp is DIET: Tiny planktonic animals
like a miniature anemone, with a ring of
little tentacles for catching plankton, and a coloengiCgeossraraenlldease
central mouth for swallowing the tiny meal. simusltpaenremosusly.

Ridges of the skeleton
make the colony’s surface
look like a human brain

Predators of the reef

186

MASGENAIFIACENNTEMONE seftaaelCminalvonitelawieeicmnnlsetoofshifnseotheefsn.

Heteractis magnifica

Anemones may look like plants, but they are
actually predatory animals. Their muscular
tentacles are armed with microscopic stingers
that paralyse small prey. The magnificent sea
anemone supplements this diet by making use
of algae that live in its flesh. These use light
energy in bright sunlight to provide sugar
through a process called photosynthesis.

Stinging tentacles catch
plankton and transfer it
to the mouth in the center

DATA FILE Column contains the Predators of the reef
stomach for digesting prey
PREDATOR POWER

SIZE: Up to 19.7 in (50 cm)
in diameter

DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of
tropical Indian and western
Pacific oceans, and Red Sea
DIET: Small invertebrates and tiny
fish; some food is made by algae
living in the anemone’s flesh

187

HASRHLERQUIMIN P DATA FILE

Hymenocera picta PREDATOR POWER

This colorful, little shrimp has a taste SIZE: Up to 2 in (5 cm) long
for starfish flesh and little else, and will
go to extraordinary lengths to get a meal. DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
The harlequin shrimp is strong and nimble waters of Indian and western
enough to carry a small starfish back to Pacific oceans
its burrow. Once there, it uses the starfish DIET: Starfish and sometimes
as a kind of living pantry, feeding on it one sea urchins
leg at a time.
Sharp claws help tear
starfish into pieces

Sensory antennae
can “taste” the
water for prey

Predators of the reef sbtauaoTrcnchfnkidaissietnhtosrsfsohlnsiinrdopiibtemfoatb.pliets

188

ANSNEAA’S SLUG Hornlike gills
at the rear of
Chromodoris annae the body

Bright colors warn
predators that this sea
slug might be poisonous

Sensory club on
the head projects
into the water

Not all predators on a reef gobble “spsermenAsysenlouwlnlrg”ayitss’hcspclastuohenbneasgi.re Predators of the reef
down their prey in one go. Like land
snails, sea slugs feed by rasping away DATA FILE
at stationary food. Anna’s sea slug
prefers to eat sponges, a type of PREDATOR POWER
colonial animal that grows fixed
on rocks. Other sea slugs munch on SIZE: Up to 2 in (5 cm) long
stinging anemones and even use
the stingers for their own protection. DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
waters of western Pacific Ocean
DIET: Sponges

189



REFERENCE

Sharks include some of the most
formidable predators of the ocean.
Practically every ocean habitat,
from the intertidal shallows to the
deepest abyss, is home to sharks.
Their family tree extends back
hundreds of millions of years,
but these are no primitive
survivors of a bygone age—
modern sharks have sharp senses
for finding prey and sophisticated
ways of raising their young.

THE SHARK FAMILY TREE

Sharks have been hunting the oceans since before the time of the dinosaurs.
Together with chimaeras and rays, they belong to a group of fish with a skeleton
made from mineralized cartilage, rather than bone. About 500 shark species
in nine main groups are around today, but many other sharklike fish that lived
millions of years ago are now extinct.

Broadnose
sevengill shark

Sea lamprey

Jawless fish Chimaeras Primeval predators
Lampreys and Hagfish and their extinct relatives, that are alive today, such

including Ischyodus as the frilled shark and

sevengill sharks

Helicoprion Hybodus

Helicoprion Hybodus
Xenacanthus
Placoderms Stethacanthus and
such as Dunkleosteus
Falcatus
Cladoselache

DunkleosteusReference

All vertebrates descend from a common ancestor that lived more than 500 mya
192

THE EVIDENCE

Scientists use different methods to

Killers between work out how groups of animals
the tides such as
wobbegongs and have evolved. They look for 7 in (18 cm)
bullhead sharks
similarities in living sharks and their
Open-ocean
Horn shark, cruisers and chasers DNA, and study fossils of prehistoric
an example of a
bullhead shark such as the species. But cartilaginous skeletons
great white shark
Mud-rooting of sharks do not preserve well, and
monsters Muscle-mouthed
gulpers such as the fossilized teeth sometimes provide
such as sawsharks and
angelsharks whale shark and the only evidence from the past. Fossilized
the nurse shark
Devils of the dark Megalodon tooth
such as lantern sharks, Inshore marauders
such as cat sharks Rays Modern bony
spiny dogfish, and and reef sharks fish and
sleeper sharks
other vertebrates

Acanthodes, a Leedsichthys
carboniferous
spiny “shark” Leedsichthys
Acanthodes

KEY Extinct Reference
Living

193

THE SHARK MACHINE

Most sharks are big, torpedo-shaped predators that Skeleton
swim through open water, but some have a flattened The spine and rest of the
body for settling on the sea floor. A few others filter shark’s skeleton is made from
plankton from water instead of biting prey. Like most cartilage that is hardened by
other fish, sharks have paired pectoral and pelvic fins minerals. The skeleton of
for steering, and dorsal and anal fins for stabilizing most other vertebrates is
the body’s posture in the water. Power for movement
comes from the shark’s beating tail. mainly made of bone,
which is even harder.

Second dorsal
fin is absent in

some sharks

Tail
The spine runs
upward into the
top section (lobe)
of the tail, which is
usually bigger than
the lower section.

Anal fin Pelvic fin
(one of a pair)

SkinReference Oily liver
Shark skin feels Unlike most bony
rough like sandpaper, fishes, sharks do
because it is covered not have a gas-filled
with tiny, toothlike swim bladder to stay
buoyant. Instead,
prickles called buoyancy comes from
“dermal denticles.” an extra-oily liver.

194

First dorsal fin is usually
bigger than second

Gill arches Super senses

This cage-like part of The skin has jelly-filled

the skeleton supports the pores (ampullae of

shark’s gills, which extract Lorenzini), which are

oxygen from water. The especially packed on

water enters through the snout. These pores

the mouth, moves over the are sensitive to the

gills, and then runs out electrical activity given

from the slits, of which off by the muscles

most sharks have five. and nerves of prey.

Upper jaw
is loosely
connected
to the skull,
enabling it to
extend easily

Lower jaw can
also be extended

Pectoral fin
(one of a pair)

JAWS AND TEETH

Sharks are Cutting teeth Grinding teeth of Projectile jaws of Gouging
predators—some of great
filter feed, while bullhead shark goblin shark jaws of Reference
others use their jaws white shark
to bite into their prey. cookiecutter shark
Some sharks can
protrude their jaws
further than others.

195

SHARKS AS HUNTERS

All sharks get their food by eating other animals. A few, such as
the whale shark, are filter-feeders, who strain tiny animals from the
ocean’s floating plankton. Other sharks scavenge on dead material
and will even follow fishing boats to grab leftovers. However, most
kinds of shark hunt, bite, and kill living prey. They have an impressive
array of sense organs for hunting. The smallest sharks target fish
and invertebrates, but some of the biggest hunters prey on animals
up to the size of dolphins and seals.

MORE THAN 1/2 MILE (1 KM) AWAY LESS THAN 1/2 MILE (1 KM) AWAY

Reference Smelling Listening Feeling the
the blood for movement movement
Sharks can detect the Sharks can hear the sound of A series of pores
presence of prey across an animal splashing about in run in a so-called lateral line
miles of ocean water by the water, and some are good down the side of the shark’s
using the super-sensitive smell at homing in on the thrashing body. Seawater seeping into
and taste receptors in their noises made by a so-called these pores goes through tiny
nostrils and mouth. Some sharks “feeding frenzy,” in which lots of tubes containing sensors that
are said to be able to sniff a drop sharks gather to feast on meat. detect changing water currents,
of blood 3 miles (5 km) away. which are possible evidence of
nearby prey.

196

DIFFERENT HUNTING TECHNIQUES

Many sharks are masters of the
ambush and take their prey by
surprise in dark or cloudy waters.
Some hunters, such as angelsharks,
rely on camouflage to stay hidden on
the seabed. The so-called mackerel
sharks, including the great white, are
champion swimmers and chase down
prey in open water. This great white
has leapt out of water after prey.

50 FT (15 M) AWAY 3.3 FT (1 M) AWAY

Eyeing Sensing Taking a bite Reference
the victim the life Unlike most other back-boned
As the shark When a shark gets close, another animals, the upper jaw of a shark
approaches its prey, its eyes form kind of sensing system takes is not rigidly attached to the
a clear image of the target. The over—the ampullae of Lorenzini. skull, so the jaws can protrude
eyes of some kinds of shark The ampullae are jelly-filled outward. This helps the shark
work well even at low light pores concentrated on the to take a more effective and
intensity, helping them hunt snout that detect the faint bigger bite when it lunges
in dark or cloudy water. electrical activity of the prey’s forward to attack prey.
muscles and nerves, even when
it tries to hide.

197

SHARK LIFE CYCLES

Most fish lay many eggs to improve the chances of survival of at least Ssohmaerkfsehmaavlee
some of their tiny young. Sharks produce fewer offspring, and about wgiftiehvroetnuiltibzbieretdhi.ng
60 percent of species give birth to live pups, after a prolonged
pregnancy. This means the pups are born at an advanced stage of
development, giving them a good chance of looking after themselves.
The remaining sharks produce eggs in protective, horny cases.

Gestation

ReferenceSharks that give birth to live young do so
after a pregnancy that, depending upon
Sharks that give birthspecies, may be up to two years long. In
to live youngsome kinds of shark, the unborn pups are
even nourished by the mother in the womb.

Giving birth

Sharks often choose to give birth in sheltered Mating
nursery grounds, away from the danger of All species of shark have internal
predators. This newborn lemon shark is still fertilization so must mate. During
attached to its mother by its umbilical cord, mating, the male bites the female to
the special thread that passed nutrients into hold on and then passes sperm into
the unborn pup when it was still in the womb. her body through special grooved

structures on his pelvic fins.

198