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Galapagos
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Galapagos
sharks |
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The Galapagos shark, also known as the grey reef whaler, is an
aggressive requiem shark that is dark gray on top and has an
off-white belly. Its tail has a black edge.
There is a ridge running between the dorsal fins (the fins on
the shark's back). The Galapagos shark was named in 1905 from
specimens found near the Galapagos Islands (in the Pacific Ocean
off the coast of Ecuador). |
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Teeth in upper jaw are serrated and triangular. Teeth in the
lower jaw are narrower.
They average about 10 feet (3 m) long but can reach 12 feet (3.7
m) long. Galapagos sharks are benthic
feeders, eating prey taken from the ocean floor.
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Their diet includes bottom-dwelling squid, fish, and octopus
and live in warm waters. They are pelagic
(live in open oceans) at depths ranging from 16-200 feet (5-60
m) and found in tropical seas near
islands. At birth the 6 to 16
pups are about 22-32 inches (57-80 cm) long. when they are very
young, these pups stay in shallow waters away from adult
Galapagos sharks, thus avoiding cannibalism. |
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