16 Different Types of Sharks In The World

Sharks are one of the most powerful fishes in the world and almost all sharks live in oceans, however, some of them are seen in rivers and lakes as well. As of now, 400 types of sharks are known to humans and distributed across the world. Sharks differ from fish because they do not have a skeleton made of bones. The shark skeleton is made up of cartilage which is a lighter elastic material. This helps sharks bend and twist in the water. Sharks spend most of their time hunting prey and can swim at a speed of 40 miles per hour. Here is the list of 16 different types of sharks in the world,

Different Types of Sharks In The World

1. Shortfin Mako

Shark Shortfin mako shark also known as a blue pointer or bonito shark can have a length of upto 4 m (13 ft) in length and an average wieght is 570 kg (1,260 lb). It is scientifically known as Isurus oxyrinchus and commonly referred to as the mako shark categorized as Endangered by the IUCN. They are one of teh fastest swimming sharks in the world and can attain a speed of 35km/h and can jump 6m out of the water. The shark species can be seen at a depth of 500m and a significant threat to the species is overexploitation.

Also Read: A List Of 15+ Fishes With Big Lips

Shortfin Mako

Image Source: Wikimedia

2. Nurse Shark

Nurse Sharks scientifically known as Ginglymostoma cirratum and is commonly seen in Central American waters. Nurse sharks used to feed on squid, fish, and octopuses. The shark species used to thrive in the waters of warm waters and tropical coastal regions. The primary predators of nurse sharks are bull sharks, tiger sharks,s and humans.

The average weight of nurse sharks is between 90 to 150kg and the avarage lifespan is between 20 to 25 years. Nurses used to breathe through a unique technique known as the buccal pumping method to breathe where they use oral muscles to pull water into their mouths to oxygenate their gills, allowing them to stay still and even sleep.

Nurse Shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

3. Great Hammerhead

The great Hammerhead is the largest of all hammerhead shark species in the world that can reach upto a length of 20 feet (6.1 m) with an average weight of 991 pounds (450 kg). They are one of the apex predators that can be seen in all oceans across the world and loves to thrive in warm waters of 68 degrees (20 degrees Celsius) or even higher.

The growth of the shark species is even faster compared to other hammerhead shark species where they will reach maturity between 5 and 9 years old. They are seen at depths of 84 feet (300 m) but typically stay in coastal waters up to 262 feet (80 m) deep.

Also Read: Top 10 Ugliest Fishes In The World

Great Hammerhead

Image Source: NOAA Photo Library

4. Oceanic Whitetip

Oceanic Whitetip is one of the most abundant shark species and one of the top predators that prefer wide-open oceans. These shark species are often confused with the oceanic whitetip sharks that prefer the open sea. Female oceanic whitetips are typically larger than males and they can grow more than 11 feet.

They are scientifically known as Carcharhinus longimanus and they are named oceanic whitetip sharks because the tips of their pectoral, first dorsal, pelvic, and caudal fins are often white or show white mottling. The shark species is getting matured between 6 and 7 years of age and the avarage lifespan in the wild is 15 years, however, the longest known lifespan recorded in the wild is 22 years.

Oceanic Whitetip

Image Source: Wikimedia

5. Silky Shark

A silky Shark scientifically known as C. falciformis can grow a length of between 6ft to 7.5ft and its average weight is between 400lbs to 420lbs. The avarage lifespan of shark species is 23 years in the wild. Silky Sharks used to prey on bony fish, cephalopods, and tuna.

It is also called by different names such as grey whaler, blackspot shark, olive shark, ridgeback shark, and sickle shark. They can be identified with the help of rounded snouts, large eyes, and small jaws. Killer whales are primary predators of silky sharks.

Silky Shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

6. Great White Shark

The great white shark is one of the strongest sea animals scientifically Carcharodon carcharias is one of the most feared shark species in the world. They belong to the oldest group of shark species named the mackerel sharks and many of the shark species are believed to have existed for over 120 million years.

These big teeth fish species were seen in almost all coastal and offshore with temperatures of between 12 and 24 °C (54 and 75 °F). The avarage lifespan of great white sharks is estimated to be as long as 70 years or even more. It can grow in length between 3.4 to 6.1 meters and avarage wieght in between 520 and 2,268 kilograms (1,145 and 5,000 pounds). The female species of the great white shark is usually larger than the male.

Great White Shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

7. Tiger Shark

Tiger Shark, scientifically known as Galeocerdo cuvier, is considered the second world’s most dangerous, followed by great white sharks. The name comes from the dark stripes which resemble a tiger’s pattern, howvever, it is most visible in juveniles, and as the sharks mature these lines disappear and fade away.

The shark species can grow upto a length between 3.52 to 4.25 meters and the average weight is between 385 to 635 kilograms. Females species of tiger shark are usually larger than the males. These are strongly built sharks with two dorsal fins, a pair of pelvic fins, an anal fin, a caudal fin, and five-gill slits.

Also Read Top 10 Endangered Animals In The World 2022.

Tiger Shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

8. Lemon Shark

Lemon Sharks are widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The name of the shark comes from the yellow-brown skin that helps them camouflage in the sandy and tropical waters where they inhabit. These shark species are usually identified at a depth of 300 feet (90 m). It usually feeds on all kinds of fish such as fish, rays, crustaceans, seabirds, and other sharks as well. The avarage lifespan of a lemon shark is upto 30 years in the wild and the average weight is upto 551 pounds (250 kg).

Lemon Shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

9. Galapagos Shark

Galapagos Shark is one of the different types of sharks scientifically known as Carcharhinus galapagensis and is quite difficult to differentiate from the other large requiem sharks. It can be identified with the help of dark grey coloration on top with an off-white belly along with the tail with a black edge and a ridge running between the dorsal fins.

They feed mostly on bony fishes and cephalopods. It can grow upto a maximum size of 3.7 meters and can be very easily identified in Lord Howe Island` located off northern New South Wales in Australia. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the shark species is near threatened because of heavy fishing pressure across its range.

Galapagos Shark

Image Source: Marine National

10. Gray Reef Shark

Gray Reef Sharks scientifically known as Carcharhinus Amblyrhynchos usually seen in different colors such as grey, black, and white. It is also known as bronze whalers, whaler sharks, and blacktail reef sharks. The mature gray reef shark species can grow between 4 to 5 feet, however, the largest reported shark species is 8.5 feet and body weight of around 74 lbs.

These shark species can be easily identified with the help of fins which has a distinct dark margin along the entire backside of the caudal fin on its tail. The shark species loves to thrive in tropical and subtropical climates and is geographically distributed in teh regions of Indonesia, northern Australia, various Pacific Islands, and the eastern coastline of Africa.

Gray Reef Shark

11. Basking Shark

Basking sharks is one of the largest sharks in the world followed by megamouth shark.  The shark species is active around the world and during the winter season, they live in the ocean’s depths.  The body length ranges upto 26 feet and the average weight is upto 4.58 long tons or 5.13 short tons. Basing sharks are ram feeders and filter feed on plankton, small fish, and even invertebrates.  The possible natural predators of sharks are orcas, or killer whales, which have been observed feeding on them. The avarage lifespan of a basking shark is upto 50 years.

Basking Shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

12. Bull Shark

Bull Sharks are one of the most aggressive sharks in the world followed by great white sharks and tiger sharks. They prefer the warm oceans of the world and are also known as the Zambezi shark, river shark, and Nicaragua shark. The body length varies between 2 to 3.4 cm in length and the average weight is between 90 to 225 kilograms. The primary diet includes fish, dolphins, and other types of shark species. The predators include humans, crocodiles, and tiger sharks (when young). The avarage lifespan of a bull shark is upto 32 years in the wild, however, it can vary according to geographic location.

Bull Shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

13. Goblin shark

Goblin shark has a unique pink skin and it comes from a trait that’s much more in line with a mythical demon from the middle ages. They are mostly seen in the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific & Indian Oceans, however, they are most common in the coasts of Japan. The avarage lifespan of a Goblin shark is between 30 to 35 years in the wild. The body length ranges between 9.8 to 20 feet and the average weight is between 330 to 460 pounds. The primary diet includes fishes such as rattails and dragonfishes as well as cephalopods and crustaceans.

Goblin shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

14. Whale shark

The whale shark is the largest shark in the world and also one of the largest sea creatures that can grow upto 19 meters (62 feet) in length and avarage wieght is upto 30 tonnes. There are no natural predators of whale sharks apart from humans, however, Juveniles are attacked by blue marlin, orca, and predatory oceanic sharks. The avarage lifespan of whale sharks is between 80 to 130 years in the wild. The primate y diet includes plankton and small schooling fish.

Whale shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

15. Frilled shark

One of the different types of sharks in the world, the frilled shark are eel-like shark with strange body shapes and is seen in some of the deepest parts of the ocean. They can be seen across all the waters but in isolated pockets. The avarage lifespan of frilled sharks is still unknown but it is estimated around 25 years in the wild. The body length ranges between 1.3 to 2m and the average weight is also unknown. The primary diet includes cephalopods (squid, octopus, etc) and fish.

Frilled shark

Image Source: Wikimedia

16. Cookie cutter shark

The Cookie cutter shark is a squaliform shark since it has two dorsal fins and five to seven-gill slits on its sides. They have the largest teeth of any shark species across the world and like all sharks, it loses their teeth and grows new ones throughout its life. They have a parasitic nature and often bite out a cookie-shaped hole in a much larger fish and hence their names. It preys and feeds on large squid, gonostomatids, and crustaceans. The body length of cookie-cutter sharks is between 14 to 22 inches in length and the avarage lifespan is upto 25 years.It is one of the different types of sharks in the world.

Cookie cutter shark

Image Source: Bryan

This is the list of different types of sharks in the world. Kindly share and do post your comments.

Exit mobile version