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Shark Species Profiles: A Graphing and Question/Answer Activity Sheet, Exercises of Natural History

Information on various shark species, including their size, color, diet, and habitat. The document also includes activities such as graphing the maximum length of each species and creating a shark mobile. Students can use this information to answer questions about shark sizes and safety.

What you will learn

  • Which shark has the smallest maximum length?
  • Which shark has the largest maximum length?
  • Which shark is the largest living fish?
  • Which shark species is known for using its long tail fin to stun prey?
  • Does the size of a shark correlate with its danger level?

Typology: Exercises

2021/2022

Uploaded on 09/12/2022

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Shark Species Profiles
Background:
Sharks have existed for about 400 million years, before dinosaurs roamed the earth! They belong
to a class of fish called Chondrichthyes. Chrondrichthyes means "cartilaginous fishes". The
skeletons of sharks and other Chondrichthyans are made of cartilage unlike human skeletons that
are made of bone. Although all sharks have some similarities such as having gills and fins, they
come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and personalities. They also live in many different
habitats and in different parts of the world.
Materials:
There are 8 shark species profiles included in this activity with information on size, color, diet,
and habitat of each shark. Focus is on sharks that live in waters off the Florida coast although
sharks from other parts of the world are also included:
1. Bull shark
2. White shark
3. Tiger shark
4. Great hammerhead shark
5. Shortfin mako shark
6. Thresher shark
7. Whale shark
8. Leopard shark
In addition, there are also species profiles on closely related rays, skates, and sawfish that may
also be included in classroom learning activities:
1. Atlantic stingray
2. Clearnose skate
3. Smalltooth sawfish
Information on size, color, diet, habitat, and geographical location is included in each species
profile as well as a photo and a distribution map.
Classroom Activities:
Graph the maximum length of each species to determine which species is the largest and
which is the smallest and how they compare to the size of humans
Make a shark mobile with cut outs using the provided patterns and instructions, using shark
species profiles for guidelines on the coloration of each shark.
Color in coloring pages of sharks using the description of each shark species as a guide
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish 4-1 © 2006 Florida Museum of Natural History
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Shark Species Profiles Background: Sharks have existed for about 400 million years, before dinosaurs roamed the earth! They belong to a class of fish called Chondrichthyes. Chrondrichthyes means "cartilaginous fishes". Theskeletons of sharks and other Chondrichthyans are made of cartilage unlike human skeletons that are made of bone. Although all sharks have some similarities such as having gills and fins, theycome in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and personalities. They also live in many different habitats and in different parts of the world. Materials: There are 8 shark species profiles included in this activity with information on size, color, diet, and habitat of each shark. Focus is on sharks that live in waters off the Florida coast althoughsharks from other parts of the world are also included: 1.2. Bull sharkWhite shark 3.4. Tiger sharkGreat hammerhead shark 5.6. Shortfin mako sharkThresher shark 7.8. Whale sharkLeopard shark

In addition, there are also species profiles on closely related rays, skates, and sawfish that mayalso be included in classroom learning activities: 1.2. Atlantic stingrayClearnose skate

  1. Smalltooth sawfish Information on size, color, diet, habitat, and geographical location is included in each speciesprofile as well as a photo and a distribution map.

Classroom Activities:

  • Graph the maximum length of each species to determine which species is the largestwhich is the smallest and how they compare to the size of humans and
  • Make a shark mobile with cut outs using the provided patterns and instructions, using sharkspecies profiles for guidelines on the coloration of each shark.
  • Color in coloring pages of sharks using the description of each shark species as a guide

Carcharhinus leucas Bull Shark

Length: Maximum length of 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) Color: Pale to dark gray above fading to a pale or white underside Diet: Fish and small sharks Habitat: Marine and freshwater shallow habitats Geographical Location: Live throughout the world

Galeocerdo cuvier Tiger Shark

Length: Maximum length of 14 feet (4.25 meters) Color: Bluish-gray to dark gray or black on top with a yellowish-white underside, dark spots are visible on young sharks but fade as the shark matures Diet: Sea turtles, rays, sharks, bony fishes, sea birds, dolphins, squid, and crustaceans Habitat: Marine, murky waters off the coast from the surface to depths of 1,085 feet (350 meters) Geographical Location: Temperate and tropical waters throughout the world, with the exception of the Mediterranean Sea

Great Hammerhead Shark Sphyrna mokarran

Length: Maximum length of 20 feet (6.1 meters) Color: Dark brown to light grey or even olive color on top, fading to white on the underside Diet: Invertebrates, bony fish, and rays as well as other sharks Habitat: Marine, shallow coastal waters to offshore water depths of 985 feet (300 meters) Geographical Location: Warm temperate and tropical marine waters throughout the world

Thresher Shark Alopias vulpinus

Length: Maximum length of 24.9 feet (7.6 meters) including the long tail fin Color: Dark brown and slate gray to black on top with black spots near the tail, it is white underneath Diet: Small bony fish such as herring, bluefish, and mackerel, they use their long tail fin to stun their prey so it is easier to catch Habitat: Marine, coastal waters to open ocean waters at depths to 1,800 feet (550 meters) Geographical Location: Cold temperate and tropical waters throughout the world's oceans

Rhincodon typus Whale Shark

Length: Maximum length of 60 feet (18 meters) – largest living fish! Color: Greyish, bluish or brownish above with an upper surface pattern of creamy white spots between pale, vertical and horizontal stripes, the underside is white Diet: Plankton (microscopic plants and animals) and small schooling fish Habitat: Marine, open oceans Geographical Location: Warm temperate and tropical waters throughout the world's oceans

Atlantic Stingray Dasyatis sabina

Length: Disk width of 12-15 inches (stingrays are measured this way) Color: Brown or yellowish brown on the top, becoming lighter close to the edge. The underside is white or light gray Diet: Clams, worms, tube anemones, and bivalves Habitat: Marine and brackish water in warm coastal areas, it also lives in some freshwater lakes in Florida Geographical Location: Western Atlantic Ocean from Chesapeake Bay south to Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico

Clearnose Skate Raja eglanteria

Length: Maximum disk width of 19 inches (48 cm) Color: Dark to light brown or gray on the dorsal surface with dark spots and bars sometimes present, the ventral surface is white Diet: Shrimp, crabs, and small fish Habitat: Marine inshore waters Geographical Location: Atlantic Ocean – from Massachusetts south through Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico

SHARK

LENGTH

GRAPH

Bull Shark

11.5 feet

White Shark

22.3 feet

Tiger Shark

14 feet

Great HammerheadShark

20 feet

Shortfin Mako Shark

13 feet

Thresher Shark

24.9 feet

Whale Shark

65.5 feet

Leopard Shark

7 feet

Smalltooth Sawfish

24.7 feet

Human Adult

6 feet

Human Child

4 feet

LENGTH (feet)

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

Instructions: Each box represents five feet in length. Color in the boxes from left to right until you reach the appropriate boxrepresenting the length of the shark on that line. Use your graph to answer the questions below: 1.^

Which shark is the shortest?

2.^

Which shark is the longest?

3.^

Does the size of a shark indicate how dangerous it is?

Shark Species Profiles : Graphing and Question/Answer Activity Sheet