What are the distinctive characteristics of sharks?
Answer… Sharks vary greatly in size. Whale sharks are the largest of all fish and can grow up to 12 m long and weigh up to 14 tons. The smallest sharks are the tiny pygmy sharks which are fully grown at 25 cm long. Sharks can live to a hundred years. A shark’s skeleton is made of cartilage. It does not have a gas filled swim-bladder like other fish to keep it buoyant and must keeping swimming forwards to stop from sinking. The mouth is on the underside of the head. It has rows of sharp teeth that are replaced as they wear out. A shark has a highly developed sense of smell, hearing and sight. Most sharks are fast, eficient predators that feed on fish or squids.
