Mommy, Where Do Baby Great White Sharks Come From?
Despite the best efforts of scientists, very little is known about the sexual behavior and reproduction cycle of great white sharks. Apart from a small handful of unconfirmed claims, to this day no one has seen them mating or giving birth. Researchers must be detectives, using what little information they do have on the subject as well as try to fill in the blanks with information about the reproductive behavior of similar species of sharks. Male white sharks are estimated to reach sexual maturity at ages 9-10, while females take a little longer at 12-15 years old. Females are typically larger than males, and perhaps the extra time to mature allows the females to grow big enough to carry a litter of fairly large pups. The quickest and easiest way to identify a male shark is by his pair of “claspers,” which are elongated modifications of the pelvic fins. With the aid of a hook or spine that attaches to the tough lining at the first part of the female’s genital opening, and strong intern
