Sharks and Other Deadly Ocean Creatures - Visual Encyclopedia

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Written by Derek Harvey

Consultant: Dr. Kim Bryan
First American Edition, 2016
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CONTENTS
1 2
PRIMEVAL PREDATORS 8 MUD-ROOTING MONSTERS 34
Sea Lamprey 10 Longnose Sawshark 36
Devonian Placoderm 11 Sand Devil 38
Devonian Shark 12 Common Angelshark 39
Devonian Shark 12 Big Skate 40
Carboniferous Shark 14 Common Guitarfish 41
Prehistoric Eel-like Shark 14 Giant Guitarfish 42
Hybodont Shark 16 Small-toothed Sawfish 43
Sharpnose Sevengill Shark 17 Marbled Torpedo Ray 44
Bluntnose Sixgill Shark 18 Lesser Electric Ray 45
Broadnose Sevengill Shark 19 Blue-spotted Ribbontail Ray 46
Frilled Shark 20 Peacock Flounder 48
Spiral-toothed Chimeroid 20 Lesser Weever 48
Carboniferous Spiny “Shark” 22 Sand Stargazer 50
Cretaceous Chimaera 23 Biting Reef Worm 51
Australian Ploughnose Chimaera 24
Pacific Longnose Chimaera 25
Rabbitfish 26
Giant Jurassic Bony Fish 28
Alligator Gar 28
Coelacanth 30
Cretaceous Plesiosaur 31
Jurassic Ichthyosaur 32
Megalodon 33
3 4
DEVILS OF THE DARK 52 KILLERS BETWEEN THE TIDES 72
Velvet-belly 54 Zebra Bullhead 74
Angular Rough Shark 54 Horn Shark 75
Greenland Shark 56 Collared Carpet Shark 76
Pygmy Shark 58 Blind Shark 77
Cookiecutter Shark 59 Ornate Wobbegong 78
Kitefin Shark 60 Spotted Wobbegong 79
Spiny Dogfish 60 Cobbler Wobbegong 80
Pelican Eel 62 Tasselled Wobbegong 81
Sladen’s Hatchetfish 63 Epaulette Shark 82
Barbeled Dragonfish 64 White-spotted Bambooshark 84
Sloane’s Viperfish 64 Venus Comb 84
Deep-sea Lizardfish 66 Cone Shell 86
Lancetfish 67 Common Starfish 88
Humpback Anglerfish 68 Southern Blue-ringed Octopus 89
Giant Squid 68
Vampire Squid 70
Giant Pacific Octopus 71
5 6
MUSCLE-MOUTHED GULPERS 90 CRUISERS AND CHASERS 104
Whale Shark 92 Basking Shark 106
Zebra Shark 94 Megamouth Shark 108
Nurse Shark 95 Small-toothed Sandtiger Shark 109
Tawny Nurse Shark 96 Sandtiger Shark 110
Anglerfish 96 Crocodile Shark 111
Psychedelic Frogfish 98 Great White Shark 112
Pink Frogmouth 99 Short-finned Mako 114
Giant Grouper 100 Salmon Shark 115
Stonefish 101 Thresher Shark 116
Common Lionfish 102 Goblin Shark 117
Spotted Eagle Ray 118
Giant Manta Ray 119
Great Barracuda 120
PREDATOR POWER Sailfish 121
This scale depends on prey size and the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna 122
possible danger a predator poses to humans. Giant Trevally 123
Humpback Whale 124
Predators that feed on planktonic animals; Sperm Whale 126
also parasites that may not kill their victims. Leatherback Turtle 127
Box Jellyfish 128
Predators that target small invertebrates and Lion’s Mane Jellyfish 129
small fish, up to the size of mackerel. Portuguese Man o’ War 130
Barrel Shrimp 131
Predators that target and kill medium-sized
prey, bigger than mackerel.
SCALES AND SIZES

Predators that kill small or medium-sized prey, Profiles of sharks and other creatures have
but have venom that could kill bigger animals. scale drawings to indicate their size.
Predators that target large prey up to the

size of big mammals, potentially humans. 8 in (20.3 cm) 6 ft (1.8 m) 6 ft (1.8 m)
7 8
INSHORE MARAUDERS 132 PREDATORS OF THE REEF 166
Australian Swell Shark 134 Blacktip Shark 168
Small-spotted Cat Shark 134 Oceanic Whitetip Shark 169
Coral Cat Shark 136 Silky Shark 170
Pyjama Shark 137 Dusky Shark 171
Red-spotted Cat Shark 138 Galapagos Shark 172
Puffadder Shy Shark 139 Caribbean Reef Shark 173
Grey-spotted Cat Shark 140 Blacktip Reef Shark 174
Black-mouthed Cat Shark 141 Gray Reef Shark 175
Big-eyed Hound Shark 142 Bronze Whaler 176
Tope Shark 142 Blue Shark 177
Leopard Shark 144 Whitetip Reef Shark 178
Starry Smooth Hound 145 Great Hammerhead 180
Gummy Shark 146 Scalloped Hammerhead 182
Banded Hound Shark 146 Crown-of-Thorns Starfish 183
Tiger Shark 148 Green Moray Eel 184
Lemon Shark 149 Humphead Wrasse 185
Bull Shark 150 Brain Coral 186
Sarcastic Fringehead 152 Magnificent Sea Anemone 187
Atlantic Wolf-Fish 153 Harlequin Shrimp 188
Killer Whale 154 Anna’s Sea Slug 189
Leopard Seal 156
Southern Elephant Seal 157
Sea Otter 158
Emperor Penguin 159
Saltwater Crocodile 160 REFERENCE 190
Sea Snake 162
Nautilus 163
GLOSSARY 204
Peacock Mantis Shrimp 164 INDEX 206
Smooth-clawed Pistol Shrimp 165 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 208
PRIMEVAL
PREDATORS
Sharks first swam the oceans well before the time of the
dinosaurs, but other meat-eaters have hunted in these
waters even longer. Some prehistoric predators, such as
reptilian ichthyosaurs, were quite different from creatures
alive today, but others were the ancestors of living animals,
including sharks. A few primeval predators, such as the
frilled shark, still lurk in the ocean depths.
SEA DATA FILE
LAMPREY
PREDATOR POWER
Petromyzon marinus SIZE: Up to 35.4 in (90 cm) long
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters of

North Atlantic Ocean and western
Lampreys are jawless fish that have Mediterranean Sea
scarcely changed in hundreds of millions DIET: Larvae are filter-feeders;
of years. Like most other lampreys, the adults feed as parasites on blood
of other fish
adult sea lamprey—the biggest of all—is a
blood-sucking parasite of other fish. Adults
migrate into rivers to breed, where their Rings of pointed, hornlike
teeth scrape at the side of
eggs hatch into a kind of filter-feeding prey to draw blood
larva called an ammocoete—
found only in lampreys.
Sucker-like, jawless
mouth clamps on
to side of fish
The sea
lamprey may
Primeval predators
sometimes
attack whales
or dolphins.
Sea lamprey, side view
10
DEVONIAN
PLACODERM
Hinged connection
between head
and body
Dunkleosteus sp.
Dunkleosteus, side view
Dunkleosteus’s
bite strength
may have rivaled
that of a great
white shark.
Massive, sharp jaws had the

strength to bite through prey
that had thick armor
The armor-plated placoderms were

among the first vertebrates with biting DATA FILE
jaws, and so were the first predators PREDATOR POWER
to dominate the oceans before the

evolution of modern sharks. Their jaws SIZE: Up to 19.7 ft (6 m) long
actually worked more like a giant beak.
Massive Dunkleosteus, known from its
DISTRIBUTION: Oceans and seas
fossilized head and body shields, was in areas now in North America,
Primeval predators
an early top predator from the Europe, and northern Africa
Devonian Period (419–358 mya). DIET: Fish and large invertebrates,

including those with armor
11
DEVONIAN
Cladoselache sp.
SHARK This small-
toothed shark
may have
swallowed
prey whole.
Cladoselache belongs to a group of
prehistoric sharks that existed in the
Devonian Period (419–358 mya) and
which became extinct well before modern
sharks evolved. They had some features
that set them apart from later sharks,
such as sparsely-scaled skin, but they
were formidable ocean hunters, and
could swim at great speed.
DEVONIAN Anvil-shaped
SHARK
“spine brush”
Stethacanthus sp.
The remarkable “spine brush”

on the back of this early shark
from the Devonian Period was
made up of a tight bundle of hard,
mineralized rods that seemed to
spring from the base of the front
dorsal fin. The fact that only male
Primeval predators
sharks had this structure may mean

its purpose was to attract mates.
12
Spine in front of
each dorsal fin
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 6.6 ft (2 m) long

in areas now in North America
Smooth skin lacked the
prickly denticles that make DIET: Fish, as indicated by
the skin of modern sharks fossilized prey found in
rough like sandpaper the stomach
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Pectoral fins
carried a long
whip of an SIZE: Up to 3.3 ft (1 m) long
uncertain
function.
and Europe
DIET: Probably fish and crustaceans

Primeval predators
13
CARBONIFEROUS
Falcatus falcatus
SHARK
Males and females of this shark from the
Carboniferous Period (358–298 mya) looked
very different. Only males had the
unusual, forward-pointing head
spine. It had disproportionately
big eyes, perhaps suggesting it was an
active predator that relied on good vision
to catch or ambush its prey in cloudy water.
PREHISTORIC EEL-LIKE This shark’s
Xenacanthus sp.
SHARK spine may
have been
venomous.
The long-bodied fossils of this fish show that

it might have swum like an eel. This shark
from the Permian Period (298–252 mya)
differed from all living sharks in that it had
an elongated dorsal fin running along the
length of its back, which was connected to
the tail fin. Unusually for sharks, it seems
Primeval predators
to have lived in swampy areas rather than

in the ocean.
14
Spines of males may have
been used in mating or to
Big eyes
show off to other males
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 11.8 in (30 cm) long
This was
one of the DISTRIBUTION: Oceans and seas in
smallest of all areas now in western North America
prehistoric
sharks. DIET: Shrimps
Spine projecting from back of head
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Swamps, lakes, and

rivers in areas now in USA, Europe,
Primeval predators
and India
Large pectoral fin DIET: Probably fish and

typical of sharks small crustaceans
15
HYBODONT
Hybodus sp.
SHARK Hybodus’s
skeleton was
more bone-like
than in other
Of all the sharks that appeared before the dinosaurs, sharks.
Hybodus, from the Permian to Cretaceous Periods, was
one of the most similar to modern sharks and its fossils
are widespread. It had sharp front teeth for grabbing
prey and blunter ones at the back for crunching, similar
to modern snail-eating sharks.
Sharp spine in front of

each dorsal fin, as in
some modern sharks
Cutting and grinding

teeth in large jaws
for grasping and
crushing prey
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Torpedo-shaped body DISTRIBUTION: Shallow seas and

similar to modern sharks freshwaters worldwide
Primeval predators
DIET: Probably fish and

invertebrates, including
hard-shelled prey
16
SHARPNOSE
SEVENGILL SHARK
Heptranchias perlo
Large eyes
One of just two species of living sharks with
seven gills (the other being the broadnose
sevengill shark), this hunter is also one of
the smallest of the living “primitive” sharks. The
sharpnose sevengill spends much of its time
in deep water, but is speedy enough to prey
on other small sharks, and has enlarged
eyes to help it see in dark water.
Seven gill slits

unlike most sharks,
which have five
The sharpnose
sevengill is
known to bite
sometimes
when caught.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 4.6 ft (1.4 m) long

Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans,
Primeval predators
and Mediterranean Sea
DIET: Fish (including other small

sharks), squid, and cuttlefish
17
BLUNTNOSE
Hexanchus griseus
SIXGILL SHARK
Single dorsal fin near

the rear, like in other
primeval sharks
This is one of the

most globally
widespread of
all sharks.
Six gill slits on the side
of the body, unlike most
sharks, which have five
The biggest living primeval shark, the DATA FILE

bluntnose sixgill shuns the sunshine PREDATOR POWER
and sticks instead to deep, darker
waters. It stays close to the bottom SIZE: Up to 15.7 ft (4.8 m) long
and usually only rises upward at
night. Sometimes it follows migrating
fish into shallow bays that are dimmed DISTRIBUTION: Deep waters
in oceans worldwide and
Primeval predators
by blooms of plankton, grabbing the Mediterranean Sea
occasional seal along the way. DIET: Fish (including other

sharks), squid, crustaceans,
and sometimes seals
18
BROADNOSE
SEVENGILL SHARK
Notorynchus cepedianus
Blunt,
pointed snout
Broadnose
sevengills
team up and Dark spots are common,
work together while some sharks may
to hunt seals. have white spots on
darker backgrounds
Unlike other living primeval sharks, DATA FILE

the broadnose sevengill likes to PREDATOR POWER
prowl along coastlines. Here, where
the churned-up waters are murky, SIZE: Up to 9.8 ft (3 m) long
this hunter relies on poor visibility
to take its prey by surprise. It even
pokes its head out of the water DISTRIBUTION: Temperate coastal
waters of the Americas, South
Primeval predators
to watch for prey, such as seals, Africa, Asia, and Australasia
closer to shore. DIET: Fish (including other sharks),

seals, and dolphins
19
FRILLED
SHARK
Chlamydoselachus anguineus
This shark has green
eyes, like many others
found in deep water
The frilled shark resembles a

storybook serpent. It swims
slowly by rippling its long body,
but stays in deep, dark water, so
is rarely seen alive. Its mouth is
filled with three-pronged teeth
that may act like little grappling First gill slits meet
hooks for grabbing slippery prey, under the head
to form a frill
such as squid.
SPIRAL-TOOTHED Scientists
Helicoprion sp.
CHIMEROID X-rayed fossils
to work out
this hunter’s
anatomy.
This prehistoric relative of living

chimaeras had a spiral blade in the
floor of its mouth. The “tooth-whorl”
on this blade probably spun
backward as the lower jaw closed,
but fossils show no wear on teeth.
This suggests that Helicoprion fed
Primeval predators
on soft-bodied prey, such as squid.
20
Female frilled
sharks may be
pregnant for as Single
long as three- dorsal fin
and-a-half
years.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Deep-ocean
waters worldwide
DIET: Fish, including other sharks,

Eel-like body and squid
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Upper jaw fixed to SIZE: Probably up to 13.1 ft

braincase, like in (4 m) long
modern chimaeras

in areas now in North America,
Eurasia, and Australia
DIET: Probably soft-bodied prey,

such as squid
Primeval predators
Whorl probably
retained its teeth,
instead of shedding
and replacing them
like in modern sharks
21
CARBONIFEROUS
Acanthodes sp.
SPINY “SHARK”
Spiny “sharks,” from the Carboniferous
Period (358–298 mya), had strong spines
to support their fins. However, these were
not true sharks. Their spines were made of
bone, suggesting that the animals might
have been related to bony fish, rather than
to cartilaginous sharks. They also lacked
teeth, so they probably filtered plankton
rather than biting prey.
Body covered in tiny scales
CRETACEOUS
CHIMAERA
Like living chimaeras,
males had a long projection
(tentaculum) for grasping
females during mating
Ischyodus bifurcatus
Even though this fish swam in the

oceans in the Cretaceous Period
(145–66 mya), it was remarkably
similar to the modern ratfish, a
related chimaera that is common
in oceans today. This suggests
that, as a group, chimaeras have
Primeval predators
changed very little in more than

70 million years of evolution.
22
The spiny fins
of this fish may
have deterred
bigger
predators.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

worldwide
Each fin was supported by DIET: Probably small marine

invertebrates and other
a single bony spine planktonic animals
Some species of
Long, tapering, Ischyodus lived
ratlike tail almost to the
present day.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

Primeval predators
DIET: Probably hard-shelled

invertebrates, such as mollusks
and crustaceans
23
AUSTRALIAN PLOUGHNOSE
Callorhinchus milii
CHIMAERA
Shimmering skin
Big pectoral fins

flap like wings and
propel the fish
Hoe-shaped snout is
Chimaeras’ packed with sensors for
toothplates are detecting buried prey
not shed like
shark teeth, but
keep growing.
Most chimaeras are deep-water fish,

but this one prefers to swim in the DATA FILE
shallower waters along coastlines. PREDATOR POWER
The Australian ploughnose chimaera
uses its peculiar, hoe-shaped snout to SIZE: Up to 4.3 ft (1.3 m) long
probe the mud and sense the activity
of buried, hard-shelled, invertebrate
prey. It is sometimes called a ghost DISTRIBUTION: Coastal ocean
waters around southern Australia
Primeval predators
shark because of its shimmery skin. and New Zealand
DIET: Mainly mollusks, such as

clams, and other bottom-living
invertebrates
24
PACIFIC LONGNOSE
CHIMAERA
Rhinochimaera pacifica
Spear-shaped snout
is half the length This bizarre-looking hunter is little known and is
of the body
usually seen only as a curiosity when fishing nets
are brought to the surface. The precise purpose
of this chimaera’s long, spear-shaped snout is
not well understood, but, like other chimaeras,
its sensors probably help this bottom-living fish
find buried invertebrate prey.
Broad, winglike,
pectoral fins
This chimaera
Gill openings are covered by lives in
a flap called an operculum, deep-ocean
as in all chimaeras troughs.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Deep-ocean waters

around Japan, East Asia, Australasia,
Primeval predators
and Peru
DIET: Probably hard-shelled

invertebrates, such as crabs
and mollusks
25
Chimaera monstrosa
RABBITFISH
The rabbitfish belongs to a group of fish called
chimaeras. Like in sharks, their skeleton is made
from cartilage. However, they split away from Long, mildly-
venomous dorsal
sharks and rays over 100 million years before fin spine inflicts
dinosaurs appeared. They differ in having a painful wound
protective shield, called an operculum, covering
their gill opening, and grinding tooth-plates,
instead of cutting blades, to crush their prey.
Large eyes to see in

deep, dark waters
Primeval predators
Snout packed
with sensors
to help detect
bottom-living prey
26
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters

of north-western Atlantic Ocean
DIET: Mainly hard-shelled

invertebrates, such as crabs
and mollusks
Like sharks, male

chimaeras have a
clasper to help
introduce sperm
into the female
during mating
The tooth-
plates of this
chimaera may
project from
its mouth, like
in a rabbit.
Primeval predators
27
GIANT JURASSIC
BONY FISH
Leedsichthys problematicus
The mega-sized Leedsichthys was a bony

fish, rather than a cartilaginous shark,
but its lifestyle was probably similar
to the unrelated, modern-day whale shark.
Its huge mouth contained gill-rakers for
straining small animals from the ocean
water. So, like the whale shark, this giant
from the Jurassic Period (201–145 mya)
was a gentle filter-feeder.
Enormous set of spiny gill-rakers
in mouth filtered plankton
ALLIGATOR
GAR
Hardened, diamond-
shaped scales, like
Dorsal fin set those found only
Atractosteus spatula far back on in certain primitive
long body groups of bony fish
One of the biggest fish of North America’s

swamps, the alligator gar is a formidable
ambush predator. While it grabs prey
using the double lining of sharp
teeth in its jaws, the hardened scales
on its body act like armor to protect
it from attacks from other animals. It
Primeval predators
can even breathe in air to supplement

the oxygen it gets from the water.
28
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Oceans and

seas in areas now in Europe
and South America
DIET: Probably planktonic animals,

such as small fish and invertebrates
Leedsichthys
was the
largest bony
fish that has
Long, scythe-shaped ever existed.
pectoral fins
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: up to 8.2 ft (2.5 m) long
Some fossils
DISTRIBUTION: Lakes, swamps,
of this fish rivers, estuaries, and coastal bays of
Primeval predators
date back to southern USA and northern Mexico

100 million
DIET: Mainly fish and sometimes
years ago. birds and small mammals
swimming at the surface
29
Latimeria chalumnae
COELACANTH
Coelacanths
When the first coelacanth was discovered among have not
a fisherman’s catch in 1938, it caused a sensation. changed
Before this find, scientists thought this kind of fish much in 390
million years.
had become extinct with the dinosaurs. Together
with the lung fish, the coelacanth is one of just a few
fish alive today to have the kind of fleshy “lobe-fins”
that helped the first vertebrates to conquer land.
Body covered
in “armor”
of unusually
tough scales
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Deep waters

and rocky caves of western
Primeval predators
Fleshy,
Indian Ocean
lobe-like
Peculiar, three-lobed pelvic fins DIET: Fish
tail fin found in very
few other kinds of fish
30
CRETACEOUS
PLESIOSAUR
Albertonectes vanderveldei
The prehistoric oceans were home to Albertonectes

had 76
two main groups of marine reptiles—
vertebrae
the ichthyosaurs and the plesiosaurs. in its neck.
Unlike the ichthyosaurs, the
plesiosaurs swallowed stones to
counteract the buoyancy of their
lungs. They might have done this Neck was 23 ft
(7 m) long
so they could rest on the ocean
floor to grab passing prey. Many
plesiosaurs had a long neck to
help them swipe at shoals of
fish—and Albertonectes had
the longest neck of them all.
Two pairs of
flippers propelled
the animal
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Oceans and seas in

Small, pointed teeth areas now in North America
Primeval predators
probably grabbed
soft-bodied prey
DIET: Probably fish and soft-bodied,
swimming invertebrates
31
JURASSIC
Stenopterygius sp.
ICHTHYOSAUR
Stenopterygius
could probably
The ichthyosaurs of the Jurassic Period (201–145 mya) swim as fast
were among the first big groups of predatory marine as a modern-
vertebrates to breathe air. Stenopterygius and other day tuna.
ichthyosaurs would keep coming to the water surface
to breathe. These reptiles evolved as dolphin-shaped
fish-eaters with a fishlike tail. Unlike most other
reptiles, they gave birth to live young in the water.
Single
dorsal fin
Long, pointed snout,
filled with sharp
teeth for grabbing
slippery prey
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Two pairs
of flippers SIZE: Up to 13.1 ft (4 m) long
for swimming

in areas now in Europe
Primeval predators
DIET: Fish and belemnoids

(prehistoric relatives of
modern squid)
32
MEGALODON
Carcharodon megalodon
Teeth could have

been up to five times
bigger than those of
the great white
Torpedo-shaped
body for speedy
swimming
Megalodon
may have had
the biggest
bite force of
any animal.
The largest shark that ever lived appeared DATA FILE

in the Miocene epoch (23–5 mya), a time PREDATOR POWER
when mammals had long since replaced
dinosaurs. Megalodon was a relatively SIZE: Possibly more than
modern cousin of the great white shark, 65.6 ft (20 m) long
rather than a genuinely primeval
predator. It probably evolved to hunt DISTRIBUTION: Oceans and seas
worldwide
Primeval predators
the whales that had begun to appear

in the oceans at that time. DIET: Large fish and marine
mammals such as whales
33
MUD-
ROOTING
MONSTERS
Most sharks hunt in the ocean’s
mid-waters, but some, including
angelsharks, have a different
lifestyle. They have flat bodies
that hug the seabed, skin colors
that match their background, and
rely on camouflage to catch their
prey. Virtually all rays, the closest
living relatives of sharks, have
made their living this way. Some
bony fishes, such as flatfish, are
bottom-dwellers too.
LONGNOSE
Pristiophorus cirratus
SAWSHARK
Sawsharks use their swordlike snout for both
sensing and killing prey. The snout is packed
with sensors that detect the muscular activity
of small animals buried in sand and gravel.
Once the prey is roused from its hiding place,
the sawshark sweeps its snout from side to
side, cutting the unfortunate victim to pieces.
Long, swordlike snout

has 19–21 large teeth
running along each side
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Shallow
Mud-rooting monsters
coastal waters of western and

southern Australia
DIET: Small fish and crustaceans
36
The shark’s
barbels let it
“taste” prey
hidden in
sand.
Brownish body
may have darker,
faint blotches
Dark brown lines

run down each side
of the snout
Sensory barbels
37
SAND
Squatina dumeril
DEVIL
Angelsharks are named for their
broad pectoral fins, which look like
angel’s wings. Their behavior,
however, is anything but angelic.
When disturbed, the sand devil
bites aggressively with its
needlelike teeth. In
northern parts of its
range, it moves
inshore close to
the coast, but
further south it sticks
to deeper water.
Plain, gray
body may have
some darker spots
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
One of two small DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters

The sand devil dorsal fins near of western North America and
m
gets its name fro
the tail fin Caribbean Sea
its aggressive DIET: Bottom-living fish,

temperament. crustaceans, and bivalve mollusks,
such as clams and mussels
38
COMMON
ANGELSHARK
Squatina squatina
Angelsharks look and behave like rays.

When prey passes nearby, however, they
turn into formidable hunters. They make a
grab with lightning-fast jaws, and can even
White,
arch their “neck” upward to help with the crisscrossing
catch. This species is found only in Europe, lines disappear
as the shark
but other angelsharks are found around grows bigger
the world.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Shallow
This shark can coastal waters of Europe and

Mediterranean Sea
strike its prey in
one-tenth of DIET: Bottom-living fish
Grayish or brownish
body peppered
a second. (especially flatfish and skates),
crustaceans, and mollusks
with spots
39
BIG
Raja binoculata
SKATE Young skates
follow any movin
g
object, not just
their mother.
Two tiny dorsal
fins set far back
on tapering tail
One of two eyelike spots

on the upper surface of
the skate’s body gives it the
scientific name binoculata
Skates make up nearly half of the

hundreds of species of rays. The big DATA FILE
skate is the biggest one in the waters PREDATOR POWER
around North America. Its rigid,
pointed snout and triangular “wings” SIZE: Up to 7.9 ft (2.4 m) long
give it the shape of a diamond that
is as wide as it is long. It glides
gracefully when swimming, but DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters of
western North America

spends more time partly buried in
the mud, with just its eyes poking out. DIET: Fish and crustaceans
40
COMMON
GUITARFISH
Rhinobatos rhinobatos
DATA FILE
Guitarfish have high dorsal fins, like PREDATOR POWER
sharks, but a flattened, ray-like body.
They are more closely related to rays
and share their habit of hunting buried
animals. The common guitarfish pins
down shrimps and other prey on the DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
over mud or sand of Mediterranean
seabed with its pointed snout, before Sea and eastern Atlantic Ocean
sucking them into its mouth and crushing
DIET: Bottom-living invertebrates
them with its molar-like teeth. and fish
One of two dorsal fins

A milk-like near the rear of the body
liquid inside the

mother’s womb
nourishes
unborn pups.
Pectoral fins
form “wings” on
guitar-shaped body
41
GIANT
GUITARFISH
Rhynchobatus djiddensis
DATA FILE
The dorsal fins of this guitarfish are bigger PREDATOR POWER
and more sharklike than those of the
related wedgefish, and its pointed snout is
longer. When hunting in muddy shallows, SIZE: Up to 10.2 ft (3.1 m) long
the giant guitarfish often comes right up

into the surf, making it an easy catch for DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs
and estuaries of Red Sea and
fishermen. Because it breeds slowly and Indian Ocean
has a small litter size, over-fished
DIET: Crabs, lobsters, bivalves,
populations take time to recover. squid, and small fish
White spots on
a brown-gray
background
Females give
birth to a
small litter
of just
four pups.
Sharply pointed snout
42
SMALL-TOOTHED
SAWFISH
Pristis pectinata
This sawfish
often swims
into the
mouths
of rivers.
Long snout edged with

row of teeth running
along each side
Eyes much smaller

than those of sawsharks
Although this sawfish is similar to DATA FILE

sawsharks, its downward-facing gill PREDATOR POWER
slits show that it is more closely
related to rays. Like the sawsharks, the SIZE: Up to 24.9 ft (7.6 m) long
small-toothed sawfish uses its “saw”
as a sense organ as well as a weapon.
It sweeps its saw to impale small fish DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters and
estuaries of Atlantic, Indian, and

and then scrapes off the injured prey Pacific oceans
on the sea bottom to eat it. DIET: Fish and shellfish
43
MARBLED
Torpedo marmorata
TORPEDO RAY
DATA FILE
The torpedo ray stuns prey by firing PREDATOR POWER
electric shocks into the water, but it
also uses the shocks for self-defense.
It arches its belly outward to make the
shock spread out more effectively. It
generates up to 200 volts, enough to DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters over
reefs and seagrass of eastern Atlantic
knock another fish senseless or give a Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
painful jolt to a human.
DIET: Bottom-living fish
and invertebrates
Round dorsal
fins over tail
Marbled pattern camouflages

this ray from prey on sea bottom
The electric
shock organs of
this ray develop
even before
they are born.
44
LESSER DATA FILE
ELECTRIC RAY
PREDATOR POWER
Narcine bancroftii SIZE: Up to 23.6 in (60 cm) long
DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal

waters of western Atlantic Ocean
This species belongs to a family of and Caribbean Sea
electric rays that are sometimes called DIET: Mainly marine worms
numbfish. Numbfish are generally smaller
than the related torpedo rays and give
weaker electric shocks, more in self-
defense, rather than to stun prey. As
in torpedo rays, the jaws of the lesser
electric ray protrude from its head to Rays may use
electric shocks
grab prey buried in mud and silt. to communicate
with one
another.
Snout more pointed than

that of torpedo rays
45
BLUE-SPOTTED
Taeniura lymma
RIBBONTAIL RAY
The strikingly colored blue-spotted
ribbontail ray often rests among rocks Small, prickly
or stays buried in sand with just its denticles run
down the back
eyes and sting-bearing tail showing.
The sting has one or two backward-
pointing, venomous spines that can
inflict a painful injury when used in
self-defense. Like other rays, this fish
smothers bottom-living prey
with its flat, disklike body
before eating them.
Bright blue spots

may help disguise the
ray in sun-dappled,
shallow water
46
Sting is further back
on tail than is the case
with most other kinds
of stingray
Skin is
mostly smooth
This ray’s
venomous
spines are
up to 2.7 in
(7 cm)
long.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Coral reef and sand

flats of Red Sea, and tropical Indian

and west Pacific oceans
DIET: Mollusks, worms, shrimps,

and crabs
47
PEACOCK
Bothus mancus
FLOUNDER Both eyes on left side
in this left-eyed flatfish
The peacock flounder is a flatfish that can

change color to match its surroundings.
Like other flatfish, the young that hatch
from eggs look unremarkable. As they
grow, they go through a process of
physical change whereby their eyes end
up on one side of the body. The fish settles
down on the seabed with its eyeless side
flat on the bottom.
Dorsal fin spines
LESSER are connected to

venom glands
Echiichthys vipera
WEEVER Eyes on top of head
peer upward to look
out for passing prey
The lesser weever is a particular

hazard for anyone walking barefoot on
a sandy beach. This little fish buries itself
in the sand with just its eyes and dorsal fin
poking up. It has sharp, stinging spines, and
although the fish is scarcely the size of a
goldfish, a sting from those spines can

cause terrible pain.
48
Flowerlike or
peacock-like pattern
DATA FILE
This fish changes
PREDATOR POWER
its body color to

match its SIZE: Up to 20.1 in (51 cm) long
surroundings.
DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs and

sandy shallows around South Africa,
Asia, and Australasia
DIET: Fish, crabs, and shrimps
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
The pain from
this fish’s sting
may last up to
24 hours.
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters,
often near beaches of Europe and
Mediterranean Sea
DIET: Small fish and shrimps

49
SAND DATA FILE
STARGAZER
PREDATOR POWER
Dactyloscopus tridigitatus SIZE: Up to 3.5 in (9 cm) long
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal sand

of western Atlantic Ocean and
The sand stargazer is one of Caribbean Sea
the tiniest fish predators, but DIET: Small fish and invertebrates
it has one of the best tricks
for a perfect ambush. The fish
gets its name because its eyes
Low dorsal fin on
point upward on top of its the back runs along the
head. This means it can keep length of the body
practically its entire body
buried in sand, while still
keeping watch for any
prey passing overhead.
Upward-
pointing eyes
The male
guards eggs in
its “armpits,”
under each
pectoral fin.
Wide, upward-
turned mouth
50
Biting
Reef WoRm
Five antennae sense
the presence of prey
Eunice aphroditois
The biting reef worm grows up

to 9.8 ft (3 m) and has jaws that
can draw blood from a human
finger. This giant waits in the sand,
open-mouthed, with its head poking up
Sharp-edged
into the water. When a fish swims within jaws can
reach, the worm snaps its jaws shut, easily slice
through fish
pulling the prey into its burrow.
This worm’s
open jaws
can span a
distance of
1.9 in (5 cm).
Data file
Predator Power
Size: Up to 9.8 ft (3 m) long
diStribution: Coastal mud

and sand of Indian and western

Pacific oceans
diet: Fish, shrimps, other worms,

seaweed, and dead matter
51
DEVILS OF
THE DARK
The most well-known sharks,
including the great white, chase
their prey near the surface of the
ocean. However, more mysterious
kinds of predator hunt further
down in darker depths. Some
remarkable oddities live in this
dark world. There are miniature
sharks that give off glowing light,
and even sneaky parasites that
steal lumps of flesh from their
unfortunate victims.
VELVET-BELLY
Brownish upper
surface contrasts
sharply with darker
Etmopterus spinax under surface
The velvet-belly belongs to a group

of small, deep-water hunters called
lantern sharks. Light-producing
organs, called “photophores,” pepper
the body surface of these sharks,
glowing like little lanterns in the
dark. They may help to dazzle prey
The velvet-belly
or confuse bigger predators. produces
up to 21 pups
in a litter.
ANGULAR
Oxynotus centrina
ROUGH SHARK
No other sharks look like rough sharks. This
species, like other rough sharks, has high,
sail-like dorsal fins—the first just behind the
head. An especially oily liver
helps to keep this small shark
buoyant as it cruises slowly
just above the ocean floor,
close to its source of favorite
Devils of the dark
food—bottom-living worms.
Rounded pelvic fin
54
DATA FILE
Short gills on narrow, PREDATOR POWER
spindle-shaped body
Blackish underbelly is SIZE: Up to 16.1 in (41 cm) long

covered with light-
producing photophores
DISTRIBUTION: Deep-ocean waters

of eastern Atlantic Ocean and
western Mediterranean Sea
DIET: Small fish, squid,

and crustaceans
This shark
has especially
rough, prickly
skin.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Deep-coastal
waters of eastern Atlantic Ocean
Devils of the dark

Leaf-shaped
pectoral fin DIET: Mainly worms
55
GREENLAND
SHARK
Somniosus microcephalus
The world’s coldest oceans bring life into

the slow lane. Beneath the Arctic ice, the
Greenland shark is the slowest fish for its
size and has a lazy taste for carrion (dead
animals). Despite its sluggishness, this Small eye
shark can be a crafty mover when it wants
to be. It has even been known to grab
reindeer that slip off the ice.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Cold, deep

coastal waters of North Atlantic
Devils of the dark
and Arctic oceans
DIET: Fish, invertebrates, seabirds,

seals, and carrion
56
Greenland
sharks may live
for more than
One of two small,
This sluggish shark moves similarly sized 150 years.
and breathes slowly, so dorsal fins
has small gill slits
Devils of the dark
57
PYGMY DATA FILE
SHARK
PREDATOR POWER
Euprotomicrus bispinatus SIZE: Up to 10.6 in (27 cm) long
DISTRIBUTION: Patches of deep-

ocean water mainly in the southern
This tiny hunter is the second-smallest regions of oceans worldwide
species of shark after the dwarf lantern DIET: Small squid, fish, and
shark. Each night this fish follows its prey some crustaceans
and moves up to the surface, covering a

distance of more than 1 mile (1.6 km),
before returning to the bottom by morning.
This feat is equivalent to a human walking
6.8 miles (11 km) and back every day.
Pale marks on
pectoral fins
The pygmy
Narrow body tapers shark’s
back toward tail underbelly
glows in
the dark.
58
COOKIECUTTER
SHARK
Isistius brasiliensis
Dark collar
on throat lacks
light-producing
organs
Cookiecutter
bite marks
have been
found on
submarines.
Light-producing
organs cover the
underside of the body
Although small, DATA FILE

the cookiecutter is a PREDATOR POWER
terrifying carnivore. Bigger predators
may approach the cookiecutter, SIZE: Up to 19.7 in (50 cm) long
thinking it is easy prey. However, just
as they try to bite, the cookiecutter
strikes first. It clamps its razor-sharp DISTRIBUTION: Deep-ocean
waters worldwide
teeth into its victim and twists around
Devils of the dark
to remove a mouthful of meat. DIET: Grabs plugs of flesh from big

fish and sometimes from dolphins,
whales, and seals
59
KITEFIN
Large green eyes, like
those in many other sharks
SHARK
found in deep, dark water
Dalatias licha
Like many deep-sea sharks, this hunter

makes up for its moderate size with bold
hunting tactics. The kitefin shark has
heavy jaws and huge, serrated teeth,
and uses them to lunge at bigger fish,
tearing off chunks of flesh. Its oily liver
keeps it buoyant, helping it to hover
in mid-water as it waits to ambush prey
that ventures too close.
Thick lips and
powerful jaws
SPINY
Squalus acanthias
DOGFISH Short spine at
the front edge of
each dorsal fin
The spiny dogfish might be called the

piranha of the ocean. It moves in big
shoals, and can use its jaws to cut
bigger fish to pieces. It grows
slowly and may live for more than
100 years—prowling the darkness
of deep waters and
sometimes coming
Devils of the dark
further inshore.
60
One of two widely
separated, equal-sized DATA FILE
dorsal fins
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Deep waters of

most parts of oceans worldwide
DIET: Fish (including other

sharks), squid, crustaceans,
and sometimes seals
This hunter
may attack
other, bigger,
sharks.
DATA FILE
The spiny PREDATOR POWER
dogfish may
be the world’s
most abundant SIZE: Up to 3.9 ft (1.2 m) long
shark.
temperate oceans worldwide, and
Mediterranean Sea
DIET: Other fish and invertebrates

Devils of the dark
Bluish-gray
body, often
with scattered
white spots
61
PELICAN DATA FILE
EEL
PREDATOR POWER
Eurypharynx pelecanoides SIZE: Up to 3.3 ft (1 m) long

oceans worldwide
The pelican eel’s jaws are seven times
longer than its skull’s brain case, and its DIET: Mainly small shrimps
big mouth looks like it tackles giant prey. and squid
However, the pelican eel probably uses

its enormous jaws to scoop up shoals of
shrimps, much like the pelican bird uses
the pouch on its giant beak to catch
bundles of fish. Tiny eyes can probably only
detect light and movement,
without forming a clear image
The pelican
eel has one of
the biggest
sets of jaws in
proportion to
its body size.
Teeth are too small

to tackle big fish
Whiplike tail
provides propulsion
Devils of the dark
62
SLADEN’S
HATCHETFISH
Argyropelecus sladeni
Upward-pointing mouth Its telescopic

eyes can detect
faint light.
Light-producing organs shine

downward to confuse bigger
predators swimming below
DATA FILE
The tiny, deep-ocean hatchetfish uses PREDATOR POWER
clever tactics to be an effective ocean
predator. Its bulging eyes are directed SIZE: Up to 2.8 in (7 cm) long
upward so they can spot the shadow
of overhead plankton that are small
enough to bite. Each night these fish DISTRIBUTION: Deep waters of
oceans worldwide
migrate miles toward the surface to
Devils of the dark
follow their prey. DIET: Copepods (small, swimming

crustaceans)
63
BARBELED
Stomias boa
DRAGONFISH Light
produced by
this fish may
confuse
bigger
The barbeled dragonfish has light-producing predators.
organs running along its body, and its big
scales reflect the light. It gets its name from
the long, luminous barbel that projects
from its chin—a feature that might help
attract the attention of smaller fish, which
are then grabbed by a mouth filled with
long, pointed teeth.
SLOANE’S
Chauliodus sloani
VIPERFISH “Fangs“ are so
Viperfish, side view
long that it cannot

completely close its jaws
When the viperfish attacks, its lower

jaw reaches forward and the top of
its head rotates backward. As a result, its
mouth opens to nearly 180 degrees
to take a bite. It strikes its victims with
such force that it needs a specially adapted
“neck” vertebrae to absorb the shock
Devils of the dark
of the blow.
64
Large eyes
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

Atlantic and Southern oceans, and
Mediterranean Sea
Hexagonal patches of
pigment and light-producing DIET: Mainly fish
organs line the side of the body
Barbeled dragonfish, side view
DATA FILE
First dorsal fin ray PREDATOR POWER
is long and carries
a luminous lure

tropical and subtropical oceans
DIET: Mainly fish
This fish has

the biggest
teeth in
Devils of the dark
proportion to
its body size
of all fish.
65
deep-sea
Bathysaurus ferox
Lizardfish
The lizardfish’s
The deep-sea lizardfish probably spends much barbed teeth
of its time on the ocean bottom, rather than give it a better
swimming in mid-water. Here it probably waits to grip on prey.
ambush passing prey, making a grab with strong,
alligator-like jaws that extend back beyond its
black eyes. Its body is covered with a mosaic of Wide jaws with needlelike
tough scales, like a lizard’s scaly skin. teeth may be strong
enough to grab large prey
data fiLe
predator power
Skin covered in size: Up to 27.6 in (70 cm) long

large, tough scales
distribution: Deep waters of

oceans worldwide
Devils of the dark
diet: Fish, squid, crabs, and dead

animals drifting down from above
Deep-sea lizardfish,
top view
66
Sail-like dorsal fin
LANCETFISH
runs along the back
of the body
Alepisaurus sp.
Jaws contain two or

three extra-large
fangs among the
smaller teeth
This has
been called
the “cannibal
fish” because
Lancetfish, side view
it may eat its
own kind.
Although this fish resembles the
speedy sailfish, it lacks the muscle
power of that ocean athlete. The DATA FILE
unrelated lancetfish relies instead on PREDATOR POWER
surprise to catch its prey, so prefers to
hunt in deeper, darker water, grabbing SIZE: Up to 6.9 ft (2.1 m) long
anything it can gobble down. Its
scientific name, Alepisaurus, means
“lizard without scales”—a reference DISTRIBUTION: Deep waters of
oceans worldwide
to its unusually smooth, somewhat
Devils of the dark
flabby, skin. DIET: Fish, squid, and

swimming crustaceans
67
HUMPBACK
ANGLERFISH
Melanocetus johnsonii
The humpback anglerfish has an

extraordinary life history. Only females
hunt by using a luminous lure to attract
prey within reach of their massive jaws.
Males are smaller, and those of some
species of deep-sea angler never feed
at all. Once a male finds his giant
mate, he attaches to her and the pair
spawn together.
GIANT
Architeuthis dux
SQUID
One of the world’s biggest
animals without a backbone is a
little-known giant of the deep sea.
Despite its enormous size, and tentacles
that can reach longer than a bus, the
giant squid is rarely seen. Once caught
by the suckers on its tentacles, prey rarely
Suckers on eight
escapes, and is quickly brought to the
Devils of the dark
muscular arms and two

sharp beak to be dismembered. tentacles help catch prey
68
Light-producing “bulb” The light in
the fish’s lure
comes from
bacteria in the
Enormous jaws to lure’s “bulb.”
grab big prey
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Females up to 7.1 in

(18 cm) long; males up to 1.1 in
(2.9 cm) long
waters worldwide
DIET: Fish
DATA FILE
Sucker scars PREDATOR POWER
from this squid
are sometimes
seen on sperm SIZE: Up to 42.7 ft (13 m) long
whales, which
hunt it.
waters worldwide
Enormous eyes used to
find prey in the darkness
of the deep sea DIET: Fish and other squid
Devils of the dark
69
VAMPIRE
SQUID
Vampyroteuthis infernalis
The bizarre vampire squid is only distantly related to “true”

squid. Among its unusual features are the threadlike
“fishing lines” it uses rather than the tentacles
usually found in squid. The vampire squid gets
its name from its eyes, which sometimes
seem to glow red. However, it is no
blood-sucker, and instead preys
on small, soft-bodied animals
found in plankton.
Webbing connects
the eight arms to Body covered in
form a “cloak” light-producing
organs that can
flash to confuse
predators
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 12 in (30 cm) long

with arms extended
When
is
threatened, th DISTRIBUTION: Deep waters of
creatu re g iv es oceans worldwide
off blobs of
Devils of the dark
blue, glowing DIET: Planktonic animals, including

mucus. small crustaceans and jellyfish
70
GIANT PACIFIC
OCTOPUS
This octopus
can weigh
as much as
Enteroctopus dofleini 600 lb
(272 kg).
Eye has a
horizontal pupil
Like other octopuses,

this species can change
color by expanding tiny
sacs of pigment in its skin
Double row of
suckers on each
of the eight arms
grips prey tightly
The giant Pacific octopus grows DATA FILE

bigger and lives longer than any other PREDATOR POWER
octopus species. An adult female giant
Pacific octopus can produce up to SIZE: Arm span of up to
100,000 eggs. A devoted mother, 31.5 ft (9.6 m)
she guards her eggs for five to eight
months before they hatch. She also DISTRIBUTION: Coastal and deep
waters of North Pacific Ocean
stops hunting, becoming so weak that
Devils of the dark
she dies soon after the eggs hatch. DIET: Shrimps, crabs, lobsters,
clams, scallops, abalones, and fish
(including small sharks)
71
KILLERS
BETWEEN
THE TIDES
The coastline, where ocean meets
land, is a challenging place to
live. Each day the tides drain the
shore of water and then flood
it completely. However, many
kinds of ocean animals can
survive out of water during low
tide, using rocks and seaweed
for shelter. A few sharks even
use their fins like legs to waddle
between rock pools in search
of stranded prey.
ZEBRA
BULLHEAD
Heterodontus zebra
Bullhead sharks have very Brownish, vertical

stripes turn black as
strong jaws for sharks the shark matures
of such small size. They
grab crabs, snails, and
urchins with sharp,
pointed teeth at the front of
the jaw and then smash the prey
with blunter “cheek” teeth near
the back. Many species have
bold patterns, and the zebra
bullhead is perhaps the most
striking of them all.
Cream-colored body
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
This fish DISTRIBUTION: Shallow coastal

waters of eastern Asia and north-
is popular western Australia
in public
aquariums. DIET: Bottom-living invertebrates
HORN DATA FILE
SHARK
PREDATOR POWER
Heterodontus francisci SIZE: Up to 37.8 in (96 cm) long
DISTRIBUTION: Shallow coastal

waters of California, Mexico, and
The horn shark gets its name from probably Ecuador and Peru
the hornlike ridges over its eyes. It DIET: Sea urchins, crabs, shrimps,
hunts for invertebrates along rocky worms, anemones, mollusks, and
small fish
shorelines, often using its muscular
pectoral fins to clamber over the
ocean bottom. Like other bullheads,
the female horn shark lays spiral- The horn
shark has the
shaped egg cases, wedging them strongest bite
between rocky crevices as extra of any shark
protection from predators. relative to
its size.
Body has small,

dark spots on a
lighter background
Hornlike ridge
Killers between the tides
75
COLLARED
Parascyllium collare
CARPET SHARK
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

Small sharks that live waters of eastern Australia
in shallow water are
vulnerable to bigger DIET: Small, bottom-living fish
and invertebrates
predators, but the markings
of the collared carpet shark
may help protect it. The
markings allow this shark
to disguise itself against Dark spots are
scattered over
the background of coral and most of the body
seaweed. The fish may even
alter its color to match the
ocean floor.
Paddle-like pectoral
fin lacks spots
This shark
lays long
egg cases. Like many other related
sharks, this species has
a dark collar marking the
region of the gills
76
DATA FILE
BLIND
SHARK
PREDATOR POWER

Brachaelurus waddi
DISTRIBUTION: Seagrass or reefs

of eastern Australia
The blind shark looks more like a catfish
than a shark. It hunts close to the shoreline, DIET: Sea anemones, squid,
and can survive being out of water if crustaceans, and small fish
stranded in low tide. This small, Australian

predator has reasonable vision, but gets its
name from its habit of closing its eyelids One of two equal-
when danger threatens. sized dorsal fins
k
The blind shar
iv e fo r
can surv
18 hou rs o u t
of water.
Small eye in front of

extra-big spiracle, or
respiratory opening
Long,
sensory
barbels
help find
prey
77
ORNATE
Orectolobus ornatus
WOBBEGONG
DATA FILE
Wobbegongs are flat-bodied, bottom- PREDATOR POWER
living sharks that hunt at night. By day,
they rely on the superb camouflage of
their intricate color pattern to stay SIZE: Up to 3.6 ft (1.1 m) long
hidden. The ornate wobbegong likes to

rest in underwater caves and under rocky DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs and
ledges, sometimes in the safety of a large lagoons around New Guinea, and
eastern and southern Australia
group. Humans that accidentally tread
DIET: Fish (including other sharks),
on a wobbegong may get seriously squid, octopuses, and crustaceans
injured by their needlelike teeth.
Colored patches
This
have white spots wobbegong
and crinkled edges uses its
pectoral fins
to “walk”
over rocks.
78
SPOTTED
WOBBEGONG
Orectolobus maculatus
Like other wobbegongs, the Sharks of this

species are
spotted wobbegong may known to rest
be seen on the shoreline in together, piled
shallow water barely deep up in groups.
enough to cover its body. It can
even use its strong, flexible pectoral
fins like big feet for clambering over
rocks from one tidal pool to another.
It rests in caves and shipwrecks
during the day.
Patchy color pattern

camouflages the shark
against the seabed
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs and

seagrass around Australia
DIET: Fish (including other sharks),

crabs, lobsters, and octopuses
79
COBBLER
Sutorectus tentaculatus
WOBBEGONG
DATA FILE
The cobbler wobbegong’s body is PREDATOR POWER
not as broad and flat as that of other
wobbegongs, but it is just as well
camouflaged against the Australian sea SIZE: Up to 36.2 in (92 cm) long
floor. Its intricate pattern of jigsaw-like

skin markings looks so much like the DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of
western and southern Australia
seabed that it is easily overlooked by
divers, so little is known about its life.
DIET: Bony fish and invertebrates
Cobbler wobbegong,
side view
Colored patterns
with jagged-
edged streaks
80
TASSELLED
WOBBEGONG
Eucrossorhinus dasypogon
This shark
can grab
Of all the strange, bottom-living wobbegongs, prey in a
the tasselled wobbegong has the best camouflage fraction of
of them all. Its elaborate tassels look just like a second.
fronds of seaweed. This helps it blend well into
the coral reef background. With such a perfect
Complicated pattern
disguise, this fish can afford to swim quite of lines and spots
slowly, although it can lunge with lightning
speed to catch prey with its enormous mouth.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

“Beard” of
DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of
branching tassels Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and
northern Australia
DIET: Bottom-living fish and,

possibly, invertebrates
81
EPAULETTE
Hemiscyllium ocellatum
SHARK
The epaulette shark can survive remarkably well
out of water, among moist, rocky crevices. It is
often found in tidal pools, where low tides might
leave the fish entirely exposed. When disturbed,
it hides by burying its head in coral
and seaweed, while the rest of its
body stays completely visible.
Strong, flexible pectoral

and pelvic fins help the
shark clamber over rocks
Epaulette shark,
front view
82
White-edged, black
shoulder spot looks like
the ornamental epaulette
of a military uniform
This shark
can survive
for hours out of
water without
breathing.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER


New Guinea, and northern and
eastern Australia
DIET: Mainly worms, crabs,

and shrimps
83
WHITE-SPOTTED
Chiloscyllium plagiosum
BAMBOOSHARK
White spots
scattered
The bambooshark’s small, slender over body
body helps it to get between
rocky crevices and among coral,
either to find shelter from danger or to
locate prey. If they get stranded by an
ebbing tide, they do not have to worry—
some can survive out of water for half a day.
VENUS
Murex pecten
COMB
Not all snails are harmless herbivores.
Members of the whelk family, such as this
one, prey on other invertebrates. The Venus
comb uses a muscular foot to bore into the
shells of other mollusks and barnacles. It then
eats the flesh using an extendable body part
called a proboscis. The Venus comb gets its

name because its shell resembles a hair comb.
84
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
This shark
lays up to 26
egg cases
per season.
DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs around
India, Southeast Asia, and Japan
One of two dorsal fins DIET: Fish and crustaceans

set far back on long tail
Long spines help prevent Long siphonal canal contains

the snail from sinking into the siphon, which helps the
mud and silt snail “taste” prey
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Shell up to 5.9 in (15 cm) long
It can take a
carnivorous snail DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal

waters around Asia and Australasia
up to 24 hours
to bore through
DIET: Other mollusks and barnacles
a shell.
85
CONE
Conus sp.
SHELL
Many shell collectors have been badly stung by a cone
shell. Its venom is the most potent produced by any kind
of snail, and rivals the effects of the ocean’s most venomous
creatures. The cone shell delivers the venom by projecting
a muscular body part called a proboscis, at the tip of which
is a rapid-release harpoon that stabs the flesh of the victim.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Shell up to 9.1 in (23 cm)

long, depending upon species

ocean waters worldwide
DIET: Fish, worms, and

other mollusks
Siphon channels
seawater into the
snail so it can “taste”
the presence of prey
Single, muscular
creeping foot helps
cone shell glide along
86
Brightly colored,
cone-shaped shell
A cone shell
takes just
minutes to kill
and swallow
a fish.
87
COMMON DATA FILE
STARFISH
PREDATOR POWER
Asterias rubens SIZE: Arm span of up to 12 in

(30 cm)

North Atlantic Ocean
Starfish may look harmless, but they are
really slow-moving predators. They crawl DIET: Mollusks and other slow,
on hundreds of fleshy “tube feet,” so need bottom-living invertebrates
to target similarly sluggish prey. A hungry

starfish pulls on the shell halves of a
mussel until the mollusk is weakened and
a gap appears. Then the starfish sticks its
stomach through the gap and digests the
mussel while it is still alive.
Each arm can be

regenerated if it is lost
A starfish
can take up
to two hours
Hundreds of to pull apart
tiny tube feet

the shells of
a mussel.
88
SOUTHERN BLUE-RINGED
OCTOPUS
A bite from a
blue-ringed
octopus could
Hapalochlaena maculosa kill a human in
20 minutes.
Brown bands
along the arms
darken when
Electric-blue rings the octopus
gets agitated
Octopuses are intelligent DATA FILE

hunters. There are many kinds PREDATOR POWER
that use bulk and strength to
overpower prey, but the tiny blue-ringed
SIZE: Arm span of up to 7.9 in
octopus uses a powerful venom instead. (20 cm)
Its startling electric-blue pattern serves
as a warning for bigger animals to stay DISTRIBUTION: Coastal ocean

waters off southern Australia
away. A single bite from this hunter
could be fatal for a human. DIET: Mainly crustaceans and
bivalve mollusks, but sometimes fish
89
MUSCLE-
MOUTHED
GULPERS
Some sea-living predators have
such a large mouth that prey just
gets sucked inside. These kinds of
hunters can afford to lead a more
sedate lifestyle than the ones
that are speedy enough to lunge.
Some even wait motionless for
prey to come close, until it’s gone
in a single, sudden gulp.
WHALE
Rhincodon typus
SHARK Unique, checkerboard pattern of
white spots on gray body
The real giant among sharks grazes

gently on plankton, small fish, and squid.
The whale shark cruises the sunlit, upper
ocean with its enormous mouth open
wide to suck in water. Special pads at the
back of this shark’s mouth strain out tiny
animals from the water. The whale shark
then swallows these animals down a food
pipe that is no wider than a man’s arm.
Rough skin, up to 6 in (15 cm)

thick in places, is thicker than
that of any other animal
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

Muscle-mouthed gulpers
DISTRIBUTION: Surface waters of

tropical and warm temperate Small eyes on
oceans worldwide either side of the
enormous mouth
DIET: Plankton (including krill),
small fish, and squid
92
Wide mouth for The whale
collecting prey shark is the
world’s biggest
living fish.
93
ZebRA DAtA file
SHARK
predator power
Stegostoma fasciatum Size: Up to 7.9 ft (2.4 m) long
diStribution: Shallow coastal

waters of tropical Indian and
The zebra shark is a typical suction-feeder, western Pacific oceans
and it captures prey hidden in the sand by diet: Mainly mollusks, shrimps,
sucking it up like a vacuum cleaner. When crabs, and small fish
scientists first studied young zebra sharks,

they thought the fish would keep their
stripes. That is how these sharks got their
name. However, as they grow bigger,
Newborn
their stripes are replaced by spots. zebra sharks
may mimic th
e
appearance
of venomous
sea snakes.
Leopard-like,
spotted pattern
Large spiracle
(respiratory
opening)
94
NURSE
SHARK
This shark
can suck big
snails out of
Ginglymostoma cirratum their shells.
The nurse shark could be the strongest The mouth looks

suction-feeding shark of all. By rapidly small, but has very
strong suction
expanding its throat cavity, it can
swallow prey faster than any
other shark. When it does this,
Sensory
it makes a slurping sound barbels help
like a nursing baby, which the shark
find prey
may be the source
of its name.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER


waters of tropical Atlantic and eastern
Pacific oceans, and Caribbean Sea
DIET: Bottom-dwelling invertebrates,

Strong pectoral fins bony fish, and sting rays
often help shark to
walk on the seabed Nurse shark, side view
95
TAWNY
Nebrius ferrugineus
NURSE SHARK
This suction-feeder hunts mainly at night,
spending the day in the shelter of caves,
where several resting sharks may be piled
on top of one another. When hunting,
the tawny nurse shark can suck fish
from between rocks. When caught
by anglers, it can spit water in the
face of its captor.
Snout is wedge-shaped, with two

barbels on the under surface
Lophius piscatorius
ANGLERFISH
The deep-sea anglerfish is a superbly
camouflaged seabed predator that has
a lure for attracting prey. It waves a little
flag on the front of its head, just above its
mouth, to attract the attention of a hungry,
passing fish. It then uses extendable jaws
to snatch its victim in a rapid-action reflex. Paddle-like pelvic

and pectoral fins
help the fish “walk”
on the ocean floor
96
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Dorsal fin is
sharply pointed This shark often
returns to the
same resting
spot each day.
waters of Indian and western Pacific
oceans, and Red Sea
DIET: Coral, crabs, lobsters,

octopuses, squid, sea urchins,
and fish
Tail fin makes

up a quarter of
shark’s total length
Flag-like appendage
is used to lure prey The anglerfish’s
stomach expand
s
to fit in
Enormous jaws contain extra-big prey.
many long, sharp teeth
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER


north-eastern Atlantic Ocean and
Mediterranean Sea
DIET: Fish
Leafy fringes on the body help
camouflage the fish on the seabed
97
PSYCHEDELIC DATA FILE
FROGFISH
PREDATOR POWER
Histiophryne psychedelica SIZE: Up to 5.9 in (15 cm) long

waters around islands of Bali and
Frogfish are the most impressive of the the Moluccas in Indonesia
walking anglerfish, having strongly angled DIET: Shrimps and small fish
fins that serve as feet for waddling along
the ocean floor. It lacks the long lure that
other anglerfish use to attract prey, and
instead relies on its remarkable pattern Exact pattern of white,
to blend in with the coral-reef background swirling stripes is unique
to each individual
while waiting to ambush prey.
The frilly
cheeks may
detect the
movement
of predators
or prey.
Crawling pectoral fins

look like limbs of frogs
98
DATA FILE
PINK
FROGMOUTH
PREDATOR POWER
Chaunax pictus SIZE: Up to 15.7 in (40 cm) long

waters of Atlantic Ocean and
For ocean predators that are not athletic Mediterranean Sea
swimmers, the best tactic is to lie in wait DIET: Fish and invertebrates
and ambush prey. This balloon-bodied
predator belongs to a group of wide-
mouthed anglerfish that have sometimes
been called sea toads. The pink frogmouth
has a lure to attract prey, but also has
fleshy fins for “walking” on the ocean floor. Tiny, spinelike
scales make
this fish’s body
surface rough.
Short, wiggling
lure attracts prey
Squat, leglike
pectoral fins
Golden spots
on pink skin
99
GIANT DATA FILE
GROUPER
PREDATOR POWER
Epinephelus lanceolatus SIZE: Up to 8.9 ft (2.7 m) long

This enormous fish is one of the top waters of Indian and western
Pacific oceans
predators—and biggest bony fish—of the
DIET: Mainly crustaceans, but also
tropical reef. It has a voracious appetite fish and young sea turtles
and will eat anything that can fit into its
mouth, even small sharks. The biggest
individuals live out their mostly solitary
lives around the vicinity of an underwater
cave that is their “lair.”
Huge fleshy-lipped
mouth sucks in prey
Giant
groupers
Bright patches of color change from

on juvenile turn dull gray
as the fish grows older female to
male as they
mature.
100
Stonefish
STONEFISH
have one of the
deadliest
venoms of
Synanceia verrucosa
all fish.
Changeable color pattern
provides perfect camouflage
against rocky rubble
Wide, upturned
mouth gulps prey
swimming overhead
Stonefish, side view
The stonefish is a master of DATA FILE

camouflage. This big-mouthed PREDATOR POWER
predator stays so perfectly disguised

among rocks and coral that an SIZE: Up to 15.7 in (40 cm) long
unwary snorkeler could easily
tread on its venomous spines,

resulting in agonizing pain. The waters of Indian and western Pacific
fish can survive in the shallowest oceans, and Red Sea
water in the intertidal zone. DIET: Fish and crustaceans
101
COMMON
Pterois miles
LIONFISH
Venomous spines
used in self-defense
The enormous mouth of this striking
predator can suck in all sorts of prey, while
its highly venomous spines protect it from
practically any large hunter. The common
lionfish has a voracious appetite and can
reproduce at an astonishing rate, too. This
means it can overrun and damage reef
habitats in which it has been introduced.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER


waters of Indian Ocean and Red Sea When flared outward,
pectoral fins help bunch
prey into tighter groups
DIET: Fish and invertebrates
102
This predator’s
stomach can
grow 30 times
larger when
filling up
with prey.
Large, shovel-
shaped mouth can
swallow big prey
Stripy pattern helps

break up the outline
of the lionfish
103
CRUISERS
AND
CHASERS
In the open ocean, the food chain
starts near the surface, with tiny
algae and animals (called plankton)
drifting by in their billions. Some
giants, such as manta rays, feed on
this plankton; others chase meatier
prey. Some bony fish, such as the
sailfish, even have internal heating
that makes them very speedy.
BaSkING
Cetorhinus maximus
Shark
The basking shark has a sedate lifestyle. This giant Enormous gill slits
cruises the ocean’s waters with its mouth gaping to almost completely
encircle the head
filter planktonic food. Unlike the bigger whale shark,
this fish does not gulp water, but takes in water like
a giant funnel; enough to fill two Olympic-sized
swimming pools every hour.
The largest
basking
sharks can
weigh over
3 tons.
Data fIle
predator power
Size: Up to 33 ft (10 m) long
diStribution: Oceans
Cruisers and chasers
worldwide outside the tropics,

diet: Shrimps, fish eggs, small fish,

and other planktonic animals
106
Small eyes at
the base of
conical snout
Cavernous mouth
funnels plankton-rich
water over the gills
107
MEGAMOUTH DATA FILE
SHARK
PREDATOR POWER
Megachasma pelagios SIZE: Up to 18 ft (5.5 m) long
DISTRIBUTION: Found in patches of

When scientists found the first megamouth open ocean worldwide
shark in 1976, they decided it was unusual

DIET: Mainly shrimps of the ocean’s
and classified it in a new family on its own. plankton, small fish, and jellyfish
This giant is a filter-feeder and a slow
swimmer, but it makes up for it by an
impressive vertical migration. It follows
plankton into deep waters by day, and There have
rises to the surface at night. been only
about 60
sightings of the
megamouth.
Flabby body contains an

oil-rich liver that makes the
fish more buoyant in water
Wide mouth opens to

funnel seawater over the
Megamouth shark, gills, where plankton is
side view filtered out and swallowed
108
SMALL-TOOTHED
SANDTIGER SHARK
Odontaspis ferox
Although the small-toothed sandtiger often swims in

open water over the deep ocean, it regularly patrols rocky
reefs, drop-offs, and gullies. Like its close relatives, it is an
active hunter. This shark has slightly bigger eyes than the
sandtiger shark, suggesting it is more used to searching
for prey in darker waters.
Grayish body helps to

distinguish this shark from
the browner sandtiger shark
Long teeth
give the mouth
a “toothy”
appearance
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
This shark is
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal and deep also known as
waters of oceans worldwide and

Mediterranean Sea the bumpytail
ragged-tooth.
DIET: Fish, squid, and shrimps
109
SANDTIGER
Carcharias taurus
SHARK Slightly flattened,
conical snout
Long, slender teeth

give the shark a
“toothy” appearance
The sandtiger
shark gulps
air for extra
buoyancy.
The sandtiger shark has one of the DATA FILE

biggest brains of related shark species, PREDATOR POWER
making it a clever hunter. Groups of

sandtiger shark may work together to SIZE: Up to 10.5 ft (3.2 m) long
“herd” shoals of fish, often coming
near coastlines and over reefs to do
so. These predators have a complex
of warm, temperate and tropical

courtship too, and males even oceans, and Mediterranean Sea
guard females after mating. DIET: Fish and invertebrates
110
CROCODILE
SHARK
Pseudocarcharias kamoharai
Crocodile sharks
may migrate to
the surface at
Large eyes night, perhaps
trailing prey.
Like most sharks, lower

jaw projects forward
(is “extensible”) to help
shark grab prey easily
Crocodile shark, side view
This small, swift-moving hunter DATA FILE

spends its days in deep water, so is PREDATOR POWER
rarely seen. The crocodile shark uses
its big eyes to hunt in near darkness.
Like some other related sharks, it
has a small litter size, but stronger
youngsters may eat their weaker DISTRIBUTION: Deep ocean waters
of tropical oceans worldwide

siblings while they are still inside
their mother’s womb. DIET: Fish, squid, and shrimps
111
GREAT
Carcharodon carcharias
WHITE SHARK
The great white shark probably has the
strongest bite of any living animal. It
usually lives in the upper layers of the open
ocean, but often comes near the shore in
search of prey. Younger great whites hunt
for fish. As these sharks grow bigger, they
turn to more warm-blooded prey, and are
drawn to places where seals are abundant
along the shoreline.
Long slits help the

gills extract plenty of
oxygen from water
Great whites
can detect a
drop of blood
from 3 miles
(5 km) away.
112
Great white shark,
side view
Massive, strong jaws

can easily grab ocean
mammals, such as seals
and large fish
White underside
contrasts sharply
DATA FILE
with gray upper body PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Open coastal

waters in oceans worldwide
DIET: Seals, dolphins, turtles,

seabirds, and large fish
113
SHORT-FINNED
Isurus oxyrinchus
MAKO
Blue or purplish color helps
disguise the mako shark against
the background of the open ocean
Streamlined shape helps this

shark move faster in the water
n
A mako is know
d
to have covere
8,077 miles
(13,000 km)
in six months.
The muscular mako shark
shoots through water in
bursts of speed that can DATA FILE
reach 60 mph (100 kph), PREDATOR POWER
making it a champion
hunter of the open ocean and the
fastest shark of all. Sometimes mako
sharks will even jump right out of
the water. They make extraordinary DISTRIBUTION: Open and coastal
waters of oceans worldwide and

migrations too, crossing huge Mediterranean Sea
stretches of ocean at a time. DIET: Mainly fish and squid; larger
sharks hunt small dolphins
114
DATA FILE
SALMON
SHARK
PREDATOR POWER
Lamna ditropis SIZE: Up to 9.8 ft (3 m) long
DISTRIBUTION: Open and coastal

waters of North Pacific Ocean
The high body temperature of this warm-
blooded shark helps it stay active even DIET: Schooling fish, such as
when it is in cold water. This means its range salmon and herrings
can extend right into the chilly extremes of

the far northern Pacific, where it can keep
hunting in water too cold for many other
sharks. The salmon shark hunts in groups
This shark is
to chase schools of fish, following known to
the migrations of prey. hunt in
groups of
30 or 40.
Long gill slits help

Dusky blotches on paler the shark get plenty
underside of body of oxygen from water
115
thresher Data file
shark
predator power
Alopias vulpinus size: Up to 19 ft (5.8 m)
distriBUtioN: Coastal and open-

ocean waters worldwide
Few ocean animals can match the
athleticism of the thresher shark. It chases diet: Small fish, such as
prey just below the surface of the open anchovies and mackerel, and
squid, octopuses, and crustaceans
ocean and has an astonishing technique
for subduing targets. It uses the strap-like
upper lobe of its tail, which grows the
length of its body, to whip the water,
stunning small fish so they can be
easily gobbled up.
Extra-long upper White patch extending above

lobe of tail the pectoral fin identifies this
species from other threshers
The speed
of this shark’s Narrow, sickle-shaped
tail whip can be pectoral fins
up to 80.7 mph
(130 kph).
116
GOBLIN
Long, flat
snout packed
SHARK
with sensors
that detect prey
Mitsukurina owstoni
Small eyes suggest

vision is poor
A soft body
suggests
the goblin
shark swims
mid-water.
Nail-like teeth
Goblin shark,
Flabby skin side view
DATA FILE
One of the most bizarre of all sharks, PREDATOR POWER
the goblin shark is a ghostly pale

pink. Its body is so soft and flabby SIZE: Up to 12.5 ft (3.8 m) long
that it is probably not a strong
swimmer. To find prey, it sweeps the
DISTRIBUTION: Open oceans
water with its long, sensitive snout.
worldwide
Then it shoots out extensible jaws
to snap at any prey within reach. DIET: Probably deep-water,
soft-bodied fish and squid
117
SPOTTED
Aetobatus narinari
EAGLE RAY
Tail may have 2–6 Enormous pectoral
venomous spines fins flap to make the
ray “fly” through water
Eagle rays
often perform
acrobatics by
jumping out
of the water.
Shovel-like lower jaw

digs for prey in sand
DATA FILE
This close relative of the manta ray PREDATOR POWER
shares its cousin’s habit of swimming
in open water. However, unlike the
SIZE: Up to 16.4 ft (5 m) long and
manta, the spotted eagle ray does 10.8 ft (3.3 m) wide
not feed on plankton. Instead, it
hunts for bottom-living prey. Its DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
waters of western Atlantic, Indian,

strong jaws can crunch through and Pacific oceans
a crab’s hard shell.
DIET: Mollusks, crabs, octopuses,
small fish, and worms
118
GIANT
MANTA RAY
Manta birostris
This giant among rays cruises the open ocean

with graceful flaps of its “wings.” Unlike most
other rays, which are bottom-living, the manta ray
is a swimming filter-feeder. It funnels plankton-rich
water into its enormous mouth with the help of its
Giant manta ray, top view
hornlike cephalic fins. Special spongy structures on
its gills then strain out the food.
Hornlike
cephalic fins curve
around to funnel
plankton-rich
water into mouth
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 14.8 ft (4.5 m) long and

29.5 ft (9 m) wide
The giant
DISTRIBUTION: Tropical and manta ray is the
world’s biggest
subtropical open-ocean
waters worldwide
species of ray.
DIET: Shrimps, krill, and other small
planktonic animals
119
GREAT
Sphyraena barracuda
BARRACUDA
DATA FILE
Barracudas have long, pointed jaws and PREDATOR POWER
fang-like teeth that are not only perfect
for grabbing small prey, but also good for
SIZE: Up to at least 6.6 ft (2 m) long
ripping off lumps of flesh from bigger
animals. Smaller barracudas hunt together
in shoals in the open ocean, but the biggest DISTRIBUTION: Tropical and
subtropical open ocean worldwide
ones live alone and have even been known
to injure human divers.
DIET: Fish, cephalopods, and
occasionally shrimps
One of two widely

separated dorsal fins
Pike-like jaws and

daggerlike teeth
Barracudas
can attack
with bursts of
speed up
to 36 mph
(58 kph).
120
SAILFISH
Istiophorus albicans Sail is raised to scare prey into
tighter shoals, but lowered for
high-speed chases
Long, swordlike bill
A fast-moving
hunter of the open
ocean, the sailfish is
perfectly equipped for
high-speed chases. As well
as having a streamlined body
that can cut through water
easily, it stores extra oxygen
in its red muscles. It can even
generate heat in its head, which
helps it keep its brain and eyes
working efficiently.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 10.5 ft (3.2 m) long The sailfish

is the world’s
fastest fish. It can
DISTRIBUTION: Tropical and reach speeds up
subtropical open ocean worldwide

to 68 mph
(110 kph).
DIET: Fish and squid
121
ATLANTIC
Thunnus thynnus
BLUEFIN TUNA
Tuna can swim
at speeds of
45 mph
Bright yellow “finlets” (72.4 kph).
between second
dorsal fin and tail
Metallic blue above,

silver white below
The Atlantic bluefin tuna generates

more body heat than almost any DATA FILE
other kind of fish. This trait, along PREDATOR POWER
with the high oxygen-carrying
capacity of its blood, makes it one of SIZE: Up to 15.1 ft (4.6 m) long
the speediest athletes in the ocean.
The power for swimming comes from
its flicking tail, while its body stays DISTRIBUTION: Open waters
of Atlantic Ocean and

rigid to create a sleeker shape that Mediterranean Sea
cuts through the water with ease. DIET: Squid, fish, and crustaceans
122
GIANT DATA FILE
TREVALLY
PREDATOR POWER
Caranx ignobilis SIZE: Up to 5.6 ft (1.7 m) long
DISTRIBUTION: Tropical and

subtropical coastal waters of Indian
This fish belongs to a family that is and Pacific oceans, and Red Sea
related to the sailfish and other open- DIET: Fish, squid, and crustaceans
ocean athletes, but the giant trevally
sticks closer to coastal reefs. Juveniles
even enter rivers and estuaries. The fish
hunts alone or in groups. Individuals
sometimes ambush their prey by hiding
in the cover of big sharks. This fish
sometimes
follows
hunting seals
Prominent,
to steal
high forehead their prey.
Keels along the

side of the body
help increase
swimming speed
123
HUMPBACK
WHALE
Megaptera novaeangliae Particularly long pectoral
flippers help make this
species the most acrobatic
of giant whales
The humpback’s
song is the
loudest and
most complex
of any whale.
Despite its size, the humpback whale is one of

the most agile of whale species. Its giant flippers
are bigger than those of any other animal, and
help it make sharp turns in the water for bunching
shoals of fish and shrimps. It even blows a screen of

bubbles from its blowhole to prevent their escape.
124
Grooves and elasticated skin
allow expansion of throat
to take in a huge volume of
water containing prey
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 39 ft (11.9 m) long
DISTRIBUTION: Open ocean

worldwide
DIET: Small fish and krill
125
Barrel-like spermaceti organ
SPERM in head is filled with oil and

used for generating sound
WHALE
Physeter macrocephalus
Only the lower jaw

contains teeth
The sperm
whale is the
world’s biggest
toothed
predator.
DATA FILE
The sperm whale is a record-breaker: PREDATOR POWER
it has the biggest brain of any animal
and can dive to depths that rival the SIZE: Up to 63 ft (19.2 m) long
achievements of most other diving
mammals. It specializes in hunting
deep-sea squid, but, like all whales, DISTRIBUTION: Open-ocean
waters worldwide
must periodically come to the
surface to breathe air. DIET: Mainly squid
126
LEATHERBACK
TURTLE
Dermochelys coriacea
The leatherback turtle can travel more than

37.3 miles (60 km) in a day, with scarcely any rest This is
during this time. Most reptiles are cold-blooded, the world’s
so they are not very active in cold conditions, but biggest species
this turtle can generate so much body heat it can of turtle.
even keep hunting in cold waters approaching
the Arctic Circle.
Leathery skin instead

of hard-plated shell
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Usually up to 5.9 ft

(1.8 m) long
Enormous flippers
make this turtle a DISTRIBUTION: Open-ocean
powerful swimmer
waters worldwide
DIET: Almost entirely jellyfish,

but sometimes squid and other
soft-bodied animals
127
BOX
Cube-shaped bell
Chironex sp.
JELLYFISH
Human swimmers fear the box jellyfish
more than any other because of its
terrible sting. Large swarms may
gather during warmer months,
often near the shore. This
creature uses eyes to
help find food. Its long
tentacles can catch
fish, paralysing them
with powerful venom.
Long tentacles have

thousands of stingers
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Bell up to 11.8 in (30 cm)

Unlike other wide; tentacles up to 9.8 ft (3 m)
jellyfish, this long when fully extended
one’s bell has DISTRIBUTION: Tropical and

eyes to sense
light and
waters worldwide
movement. DIET: Fish and other small

planktonic animals
128
LION’S MANE
Massive bell pulsates
to propel the animal
JELLYFISH
through water
Cyanea capillata
This giant among jellyfish

can weigh up to a ton. It is
a cold-water animal, preferring
to stay close to Arctic ice,
although individuals
may drift long distances,
and sometimes wash
ashore in other parts
of the world. Swarms of
this jellyfish occasionally
gather in the open ocean.
This is the Tight cluster

world’s of more than
biggest one thousand
tentacles
species resembles
of jellyfish. a lion’s mane
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Bell up to 7.5 ft (2.3 m) wide;

tentacles up to 121.4 ft (37 m) long
when fully extended
DISTRIBUTION: Cold open-ocean

waters of North Atlantic and North

Pacific oceans
DIET: Fish and other jellyfish
129
PORTUGUESE
Physalia physalis
MAN O’ WAR
Gas-filled float
catches ocean
breezes, like a sail
Although it looks like

a jellyfish, the Portuguese
Man o’ War is a colony of
tentacle-like animals hanging
from a balloon-like float. The
longest tentacles are muscular
stingers that grab prey. Other
structures have mouths for
swallowing paralyzed fish, or
organs for producing eggs.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Float up to 11.8 in (30 cm)

long; tentacles up to 164 ft (50 m)
long when fully extended
DISTRIBUTION: Tropical and The colony can

waters worldwide deflate its
float to
DIET: Fish and other invertebrates
Parts of the colony— submerge
called zooids—hang in briefly.
tentacles from the float
130
BARREL DATA FILE
SHRIMP
PREDATOR POWER
Phronima sp. SIZE: Up to 1.6 in (4.2 cm) long
DISTRIBUTION: Open-ocean
waters worldwide
The barrel shrimp has a grotesque life
history. It gets its name because the
DIET: Salps (soft-bodied, jellylike
female preys on floating “jellies,” invertebrates)
scooping out their insides and
using the barrel-shaped husk
as a brooding chamber for her Husk of dead
salp used as
eggs. She pushes the barrel brooding chamber
around with her, like a stroller,
until the eggs hatch.
Large head has strong

biting mouthparts
This predator
has inspired
monster
movies.
131
INSHORE
MARAUDERS
Predators that hunt close to land
often have rich sources of food.
Nutrients from the land can make
underwater forests of seaweed
and coral thrive in the sunlit
shallows. A group of sharks, called
the requiem sharks, dominate
the inshore marauders. Many are
expert at striking prey, unseen,
in waters clouded by churned up
silt and mud around the margins
of landmasses.
AUSTRALIAN
SWELL SHARK
Cephaloscyllium laticeps
One of several kinds of swell

shark that are found in warm
regions throughout the world, the
Australian swell shark inflates its
stomach by gulping in water when
danger threatens. This helps to wedge
it inside rocky crevices, so a predator
cannot pull it free.
SMALL-SPOTTED
CAT SHARK
Scyliorhinus canicula
This small European shark is one of

the best known of the cat sharks,
so called because most of them have
narrow, catlike eyes. Youngsters stay
in shallower water and gather into
shoals as they mature. The shark usually
stays near the coast, but occasionally
Inshore marauders
ventures offshore into deeper water.

Elongated eyes
help the shark
hunt at night
134
DATA FILE
Brow ridges PREDATOR POWER
may protect this
Color pattern shark’s eyes
composed of
brownish-gray
when it hides SIZE: Up to 4.9 ft (1.5 m) long
saddles and blotches among rocks.

around southern Australia
and Tasmania
DIET: Small fish, crustaceans,

and squid
Adults often
live in single-
sex schools.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

Inshore marauders

Body covered in Mediterranean Sea
small, dark spots
DIET: Bottom-living crustaceans,
snails, squid, worms, and fish
135
CORAL This shark is
CAT SHARK
Atelomycterus marmoratus
a popular
choice for
aquariums.
The coral cat shark’s body is so

narrow that it can set up home
between the rocks of a coral reef,
among which it lives by day. Its
spotted pattern also provides
good camouflage against the reef
background. Only at night does this Narrow body
shark emerge to hunt small animals, makes it easy
for shark to enter
often returning to the same between small
hiding place by daybreak. gaps in coral to
hunt for food
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Long, eellike SIZE: Up to 27.5 in (70 cm) long

body with
black blotches
and scattered,
white spots DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs along
Pakistan and India, and Southeast
Asia to New Guinea
FEEDING: Mollusks, crustaceans,

and small fish
Inshore marauders
136
PYJAMA DATA FILE
SHARK
PREDATOR POWER
Poroderma africanum SIZE: Up to 3.3 ft (1 m) long

waters of South Africa
No other shark has the stripy, pyjama-like
costume of this little hunter. Like most other FEEDING: Fish and invertebrates
cat sharks, the pyjama shark is a nocturnal
hunter, active at night. It prefers rocky areas
in which there are plenty of caves for shelter,
but it may sometimes venture into very
shallow water in the seashore’s intertidal
zone (the area under water at high tide).
Dark stripes run

down the length
of the body
This shark can

tear tentacles
from a small
Inshore marauders
octopus.
Narrow eyes are higher
on the head than in
many other cat sharks
137
RED-SPOTTED
CAT SHARK
Schroederichthys chilensis
Like many other kinds of cat shark,

the red-spotted cat shark from South
America has a blotchy skin pattern. At
times the blotches intensify and can
break up the outline of the fish, especially
against the background of the kelp Dark “saddles”
(seaweed) fronds found in its shoreline at intervals
along the body
habitat. Despite its name, the spots on
its skin are brown, rather than red.
Dark brown
spots outnumber
white spots
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
This shark
can stay DISTRIBUTION: Shallow coastal
waters along the Pacific coast of
absolutely
Inshore marauders
Peru and Chile

still when
picked up by DIET: Small crustaceans and other
invertebrates
divers.
138
PUFFADDER
SHY SHARK
Haploblepharus edwardsii
Shy sharks form a group of small, mainly

brightly patterned, sharks from South
Africa that get their name from an
extraordinary response to danger. When
threatened, they curl up into a ring The curled-up
and cover their eyes with their tail. posture may
The puffadder shy shark lives stop bigger
on sandy or rocky bottoms, sharks from
taking a bite.
usually close to the shore,
and often in groups.
Golden-brown
“saddles” with
darker margins
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
HABITAT: Shallow coastal waters

of South Africa
Inshore marauders
Small, white
blotches
scattered DIET: Fish, crustaceans, squid,
across body and worms
139
GREY-SPOTTED
Asymbolus analis
CAT SHARK
This small shark is found
only in the coastal waters of The grey-
eastern Australia. Like many spotted cat
other cat sharks, the grey- shark lays
vase-shaped
spotted cat shark frequently
egg cases.
approaches the shoreline in
shallow water. However, it is less
common than other small sharks
that live in the same habitat, so
little is known about its habits.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

eastern Australia
DIET: Fish, crustaceans, and squid
Light and dark brown

spots and saddles
Slightly
flattened,
rounded head
Inshore marauders
140
BLACK-MOUTHED
CAT SHARK
Galeus melastomus
The black-mouthed cat shark lives in deeper water

than many cat sharks, swimming in the ocean where
the continental shelf drops sharply toward the abyss.
Here, its sensitive vision can follow the glow of animals,
such as the lanternfish. This shark sticks close to the
bottom and uses its long body to swim with slow,
eellike undulations.
Large eyes
Dark saddles, blotches,
and circular spots run
the length of the body
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Female
black-mouthed DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters of
cat sharks lay northeastern Atlantic Ocean, North
Inshore marauders
Sea, and Mediterranean Sea

up to 100 egg
cases each DIET: Lanternfish and bottom-
living invertebrates, such as
year. shrimps and squid
141
BIG-EYED
Iago omanensis
HOUND SHARK
Gills inside these
long slits can extract
plenty of oxygen
The extra-long gill slits of the big-eyed
hound shark may help it survive in Large, green eyes
help this shark
warm waters, in which oxygen levels hunt in dark water
are too low to support other kinds of
shark. This fish can also tolerate higher
salt concentrations than other sharks.
It lives in the Red Sea, and a related
species lives in the Bay of Bengal.
TOPE
Galeorhinus galeus
SHARK A tope shark
has migrated a
record distance
of 1,569 miles
(2,525 km).
Topes are closely related to inshore reef

sharks, but wander much further out
to sea. The common tope’s urge to
migrate sees it travel long distances
regularly. These sharks prefer lower sea
temperatures. They either move away
from the equator during the warmest
Inshore marauders
months, or go into deeper, cooler waters.
142
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
The males live DISTRIBUTION: Warm coastal

in deeper waters of Red Sea, Gulf of Oman,
and possibly Bay of Bengal
waters than
the females. DIET: Fish, squid, and octopuses
Long snout on
a slender body
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

White underside of cool oceans worldwide
Inshore marauders
contrasts with gray

upper body
DIET: Bony fish and invertebrates
143
LEOPARD
SHARK
Triakis semifasciata
Leopard sharks
can tear a
clam from
its shell.
Center of each
dark, saddle-like
marking gets
paler as the
shark matures
Broad,
rounded snout
This strikingly patterned North

American shark lives in shallow waters DATA FILE
with low oxygen levels, such as around PREDATOR POWER
bays and estuaries. The leopard shark
likes to follow the ebb and flow of the
tide in search of mud-living prey and
is often seen in the company of other
similar-sized sharks. Females venture DISTRIBUTION: Shallow coastal
waters and estuaries along the
Inshore marauders
into eelgrass beds in water less than Pacific coast of North America
three feet deep to give birth. DIET: Crabs, clams, worms, and fish
144
STARRY
SMOOTH HOUND
Mustelus asterias
DATA FILE
The starry smooth hound gets its name PREDATOR POWER
from the small, white, starlike spots on
its body, although, in many cases, these
markings may be faint. It swims over
sand and gravel, and migrates further
inshore during summer months. Like its DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters of
close relatives, this shark uses its crushing Mediterranean Sea
jaws and teeth to feed on crabs and
DIET: Crustaceans
other crustaceans.
Gray or brownish body

lacks darker markings
Tiny,
starlike
spots
This shark
uses its small,
grinding teeth
to crunch the
Inshore marauders
shells of
crabs.
145
GUMMY
Mustelus antarcticus
SHARK
Sometimes a predator needs jaws
for crunching, rather than for
slicing. This species of hound shark
has flat teeth for cracking the hard
shells of crustaceans. It swims near
the bottom around the cooler parts
Jaws are packed with
of Australia, where females give flat teeth for crushing
birth in shallow nurseries. hard-shelled prey
BANDED
Triakis scyllium
HOUND SHARK
Like most members of the hound shark
family, this species has a restricted
range of distribution—in coastal
waters around Japan and eastern Asia.
This suggests this shark rarely travels
long distances. It is especially common
in muddy estuaries and bays, where it
Inshore marauders
lives among seaweeds and eelgrass.
Small, dark spots

and blotches
146
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Small, white spots on a
bronze- or gray-colored body
DISTRIBUTION: Waters off

southern Australia and Tasmania
DIET: Crustaceans, worms, and fish
The gummy
shark has a
maximum
lifespan of
16 years.
Short, rounded snout
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
The banded
hound shark DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters of
gives birth to Japan and eastern Asia
Inshore marauders
up to 24 pups
per litter. DIET: Small fish, crustaceans, and
other invertebrates
147
TIGER
SHARK
Large mouth contains
saw-edged teeth
Galeocerdo cuvier
The tiger shark has been nicknamed the

“garbage can of the ocean” for good
reason. As it patrols coastlines, it will
guzzle on anything in the water that
it thinks might be edible. As well as
its usual fishy prey, it may also attack
animals from the land. Amazingly, this
shark will even swallow human trash!
Vertical bars
resembling tiger
stripes may fade in
older, bigger sharks
Pure white belly

contrasts with gray
side and upper body
Keel on side of body,

DATA FILE
near tail, improves PREDATOR POWER
swimming speed
This shark is DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters

responsible of tropical and warm, temperate
Inshore marauders
l
for some fata
oceans, and Mediterranean Sea
attack s o n DIET: Fish, turtles, seabirds,

humans. seals, dolphins, sea snakes,
and invertebrates
148
DATA FILE
LEMON
SHARK
PREDATOR POWER
Negaprion brevirostris SIZE: Up to 11.2 ft (3.4 m) long
HABITAT: Warm, shallow coastal

Warm, sunny lagoons are the favorite waters of tropical Atlantic and
Pacific oceans
habitat of this tropical hunter. After
DIET: Fish and, sometimes, seabirds
mating, pregnant female lemon sharks
gather in the lagoons of the Caribbean to
give birth. Baby lemon sharks will spend
their early years here, growing up in the
safety of a tropical nursery.
Up to 500
baby lemon
sharks can live
in a single
nursery.
Lemon-yellow tinge
of color is best seen
in sunlit lagoons
Bluntly
rounded
snout Inshore marauders
Lemon shark, side view
149
BULL
shark
Big, triangular, first
dorsal fin may stick out
of the water when the
shark is in the shallows
Carcharhinus leucas
The bull shark lives in coastal waters that are

often made murky by mud running in from the
land, but it regularly goes beyond the estuaries to
swim up rivers. Adventurous bull sharks can travel
thousands of miles inland, sometimes crossing
rapids to do so.
Data fiLe
Predator Power
Size: Up to 11 ft (3.4 m) long
diStribution: Coastal waters and

rivers, and in tropical and warm,
Inshore marauders
temperate oceans
diet: Fish, crustaceans, turtles,

echinoderms, birds, and mammals
150
Large, thick head
has small eyes and
a short snout
Bull shark, side view
Bull sharks may

be attracted to
human activity
on the shore.
Inshore marauders
151
Fighting
SARCASTIC fringeheads
Neoclinus blanchardi
FRINGEHEAD push their
jaws together,
as though
kissing.
DATA FILE
The extraordinary threat display of PREDATOR POWER
this fish is worse than its bite. The
fringehead spends much of its time
in a burrow, occasionally coming out
to hunt shrimps and small crabs. If
two fringeheads come face to face, DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
off California
they flare out their jaws to show that
each is the boss of its own territory.
DIET: Crustaceans
Much of the
eellike body is
concealed inside a
burrow or tube
Inshore marauders
Fringehead, top view
152
ATLANTIC
WOLF-FISH
Anarhichas lupus
DATA FILE
The formidable jaws and teeth of the PREDATOR POWER
wolf-fish are good for eating snails,
crabs, and sea urchins. Crunching
through hard shells is no problem for
this cold-water predator. Unlike most
oceanic bony fish—which scatter their DISTRIBUTION: Cold coastal waters
of North Atlantic Ocean
eggs in the water for fertilization—this
fish has internal fertilization. The
DIET: Mollusks, crustaceans,
males protect the brood in a nest and echinoderms
for several months.
A substance
in this fish’s
blood keeps it
flowing in
the cold.
Daggerlike teeth at the
front are so big they
protrude from the mouth
Inshore marauders
Atlantic wolf-fish,
side view
153
KILLER
Orcinus orca
WHALE Dorsal fin in adult is the biggest
of any marine mammal, and is
as tall as an adult human. The
dorsal fin of males is much
bigger than that of females
(female in image).
The killer whale, also called orca, is the
biggest member of the dolphin family.
Like other dolphins, it has a taste for fish.
However, it hunts big marine mammals
too, and regularly comes close to the
shoreline on the trail of seals. Killer whales
travel together in groups called “pods,”
which sometimes consist of more than
50 individuals.
Inshore marauders
154
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Killer whale, side view

worldwide, but mainly in
Black upper side cooler regions
contrasts sharply with
DIET: Fish, squid, seals, dolphins,
white underside and and marine birds
patches behind eyes
Killer whales
Inshore marauders
hunt in teams
to catch seals.
155
LEOPARD
Hydrurga leptonyx
SEAL Stocky head
with strong jaws
Most kinds of seals hunt fish only, but the

leopard seal sometimes likes meatier prey.
Although its teeth are not as daggerlike as
those of many land carnivores, its jaws are
very strong, and it is capable of killing a
penguin by shaking it. This seal waits to
grab a penguin as it jumps into the water,
and sometimes smacks it on the water’s
surface to knock it senseless.
Scattered, dark
spots give the
leopard seal
its name
The
leopard seal
interlocks its
teeth to strain
krill from
the water.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Rocky coastlines

and coastal waters around
Inshore marauders
Antarctica
DIET: Fish, squid and octopuses,

krill, other seals, and penguins
Leopard seal,
side view
156
SOUTHERN This seal
ELEPHANT SEAL
is the heaviest
land-going
marine
Mirounga leonina carnivore.
An elephant seal can spend up to eight DATA FILE

months of the year out at sea fishing for PREDATOR POWER
food. This giant among seals can dive more

than 0.6 miles (1 km) below the surface for SIZE: 9.8–16.4 ft (3–5 m) long;
males are bigger, and much heavier,
fish, and can hold its breath for up to two than females
hours—longer than most other marine
DISTRIBUTION: Coastlines and
mammals. However, when it is time to breed, coastal ocean waters of Antarctica
and southern tip of South America
the southern elephant seal returns to shore
to mate and give birth, like other seals. DIET: Fish and squid
Males use their fleshy

proboscis (long nose)
to louden their roar
Inshore marauders
Southern elephant seal, side view
157
DATA FILE
SEA
OTTER
PREDATOR POWER
Enhydris lutris SIZE: Up to 4.9 ft (1.5 m) long
HABITAT: North Pacific shorelines

and coastal waters of Russia and
The sea otter is the smallest marine North America
mammal. It lacks the thick blubber of DIET: Mollusks, crabs, and
bigger ocean mammals, so stays warm in sea urchins
cold Pacific waters with a fur coat so dense

that little of the animal’s precious body
heat escapes. Sea otters pick up rocks with
their front paws and use them to smash
open clams and other prey. They can even
do this on the flat of their bellies while
floating on their back in the water.
Sea otter,
front view
Dense fur keeps otter
warm, so it can float on
its back in icy water
Sea otters
have the
Inshore marauders
densest fur
of any
mammal.
158
EMPEROR
PENGUIN
Aptenodytes forsteri
Small feathers trap

air close to the body
to help with insulation
This is the only

animal that breeds
on mainland
Antarctica
during winter.
Wings flap up and

down for propulsion
Emperor penguin,
side view
DATA FILE
Emperor penguins hunt fish in the PREDATOR POWER
icy waters around Antarctica, but,
remarkably, also journey into the SIZE: Up to 3.9 ft (1.2 m) high
frozen continent on foot to breed.
Here the males endure the bitter polar
winter as they incubate their eggs, HABITAT: Shorelines and coastal
waters of Antarctica
Inshore marauders
waiting for the females to bring a meal

of fish once the eggs have hatched. DIET: Fish, squid, and krill
159
SALTWATER
CROCODILE
Crocodylus porosus Saltwater
crocodiles
can stay
submerged in
The world’s largest reptile, the saltwater crocodile water for up
is a predator of tropical swamplands. It can snatch to 2 hours.
large mammals from the waterside, pulling them
into the water, while rolling over to drown its prey.
Unlike other crocodilians, it tolerates saltwater, so Darker markings
regularly swims out to sea, sometimes reaching on yellowish scales
fade as animal
remote oceanic islands. grows older
160
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Rivers, estuaries,

and coastlines of India, Southeast
Asia, New Guinea, and Australia
DIET: Mammals, birds, and fish
Eyes have a transparent third eyelid,

called a nictitating membrane
Unlike in alligators,
the fourth tooth
of the lower jaw
pokes into a notch
in the upper jaw
Inshore marauders
161
DATA FILE
SEA
SNAKE
PREDATOR POWER

Hydrophis sp.

waters of Indian and Pacific oceans
Probably no other reptile is as well
adapted to ocean life as a sea snake. DIET: Small fish and invertebrates
Unlike turtles, which have to lay eggs on
land, sea snakes give birth to live young in
the water. These snakes are close relatives
of land cobras and share their potent
venom, using it to immobilize their prey.
Sea snakes
have one of
the strongest
venoms of
any snake.
Paddle-like tail propels
snake in water
No enlarged belly scales

for gripping ground, such
as in land-living snakes
Inshore marauders
162
DATA FILE
NAUTILUS
PREDATOR POWER

Nautilus pompilius

waters of Indian and western
The nautilus is often described as a “living Pacific oceans
fossil,” because it has changed very little
DIET: Crustaceans, other small,
over millions of years of evolution. It slow-moving animals, and
dead animals
belongs to a group of animals called
cephalopods, which includes the squid
and octopus. Its tentacles are too feeble
to tackle big prey, and its jet-propelled Jet propulsion
swimming movements are rather sluggish. helps it move
backward
in water.
Whorled, chambered shell
Inshore marauders
Has more tentacles than

either a squid or an octopus
163
PEACOCK
MANTIS SHRIMP
Odontodactylus scyllarus
Highly sophisticated eyes
provide the most complex
color vision of any animal
A mantis
shrimp can
smash its way
out of an
aquarium.
Claws modified
into clubs
DATA FILE
There are two kinds of mantis shrimp— PREDATOR POWER
stabbers and smashers. Stabbers have
spiny claws that spear prey, but the
colorful peacock mantis shrimp uses
a club to smash through shells. The
mantis shrimp lives in a burrow, the DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
waters of Indian and western
entrance of which is usually littered
Inshore marauders
Pacific oceans
with the broken fragments of its prey. DIET: Shelled mollusks
and crustaceans
164
SMOOTH-CLAWED
PISTOL SHRIMP
Alpheus paracrinitus
The snapping
pincers make
much of the
underwater nois
e
in the ocean.
This little shrimp disables prey in

a remarkable way. It has a special
claw that can snap shut with such
speed and force that it generates
shock waves. These are powerful
enough to stun small animals
nearby. The shrimp then drags
the immobile victims into its
lair to eat them alive.
Bold, colored
patterns
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 0.7 in (1.8 cm) long
Enlarged pincer DISTRIBUTION: Tropical reefs of

generates shock waves Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea
Inshore marauders
DIET: Other small crustaceans and

small fish
165
PREDATORS
OF THE
REEF
Tropical coral reefs are extremely
rich in ocean life. Coral not only
forms an ocean habitat, but is itself
a predator. In warm, sunny waters,
it grows into huge rocky colonies,
which are covered in billions of
plankton-grabbing tentacles. Many
predators live on the reef, including
many species of shark.
BLACKTIP
SHARK
Carcharhinus limbatus
Fin tips are often
black, but the
markings may fade
in older sharks
The blacktip shark thrives in shallow
waters around estuaries and muddy
mangrove swamps. It is an acrobatic
predator that gathers in large
numbers to charge at shoaling fish.
When doing this, blacktip sharks
will sometimes jump right out of
the water and spin around in midair.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
The blacktip
shark can spin
DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of warm,
Predators of the reef
temperate and tropical oceans, and

three times Mediterranean and Red seas
when it jumps DIET: Fish, crustaceans, and squid
out of the
water.
168
OCEANIC
WHITETIP SHARK
Carcharhinus longimanus
One of the most abundant of all sharks,

the oceanic whitetip shark is especially
common around remote islands, but can
also wander far from the shore. It is not
as speedy as some other open-
ocean sharks, but it is more
aggressive around prey,
especially when it gathers
together in groups.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Long, paddle-like pectoral SIZE: Up to 12.8 ft (3.9 m) long

fins spread wide as the
shark cruises beneath
the ocean surface
The whitetip
DISTRIBUTION: Surface waters of
shark bullies
open oceans and island coastlines

smaller sharks in tropical and subtropical regions
at feeding DIET: Large fish, squid, seabirds,
frenzies. and mammals
169
SILKY DATA FILE
SHARK
PREDATOR POWER
Carcharhinus falciformis SIZE: Up to 10.8 ft (3.3 m) long
DISTRIBUTION: Coastal and open

waters of tropical oceans and
Most of the silky sharks seen swimming Mediterranean Sea
over reefs close to the shore are likely to DIET: Fish, squid, and
be immature ones. As individuals of this swimming crabs
species grow older, they spend more time

in the open ocean. The silky shark has
especially sensitive hearing, which helps
it home in on the deep, rumbling sounds The silky
shark’s smoo
coming from a shark feeding frenzy. th
skin gives
this hunter
its name.
Smooth skin is due to network of

tiny, densely-packed denticles
(tiny, toothlike scales) Upper body may
appear blackish
Predators azof the reef
Long, narrow
pectoral fin
170
DUSKY
SHARK
Carcharhinus obscurus
The dusky
shark can
often be seen
tailing ships.
Gray- or bronze-
colored upper body
Dusky-tipped fin
is not as boldly
marked as in some
other related species
Like many of the related reef sharks, DATA FILE

the dusky shark likes warm waters, PREDATOR POWER
although it migrates away from the
tropics during the hottest months SIZE: Up to 13.1 ft (4 m) long
of the year. Females move closer to
shore to give birth to their pups.
Here, the youngsters will gather in DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
in tropical and warm, temperate

shoals before they grow into adults oceans worldwide
and venture out into deeper water. DIET: Fish (including other sharks)
and crustaceans
171
GALAPAGOS
SHARK
Carcharhinus galapagensis This shark
may hunch
its back
to threaten
nearby divers.
Gray-brown upper
body fades to
whitish below
Large, sickle-shaped
pectoral fins may
have dusky tips
Despite its name, the Galapagos

shark is not confined to the Pacific DATA FILE
Ocean’s Galapagos Islands, but lives PREDATOR POWER
around most tropical islands on
Earth. It apparently favors rocky
SIZE: Possibly up to 12.1 ft
habitats, in which the currents can (3.7 m) long
be especially strong. This shark swims
in groups and has a reputation for DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
around islands in warm, temperate

being aggressive, even dominating and tropical oceans worldwide
other kinds of shark near prey. DIET: Mainly bottom-living fish
172
CARIBBEAN
REEF SHARK
Carcharhinus perezi
Upper body is
dark grayish or
brownish in color
The Caribbean reef shark lies

motionless, seemingly asleep, in
caves or on the ocean floor. This
allows divers to approach it, making
it quite popular with tourist divers.
This tropical American predator uses
the muscles at the back of its throat
to pump water over its gills,
supplying them
with oxygen.
Faint, white band on

the side of the body
near the rear, like in
related sharks
Large, narrow
pectoral fins
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

This docile
shark only rarely
and river mouths of western Atlantic

Ocean and Caribbean Sea tries to bite
DIET: Fish human divers.
173
BLACKTIP
Carcharhinus melanopterus
REEF SHARK
One of the most common species of reef shark in the
tropical Indo-Pacific, the blacktip reef shark is a fast-moving
predator. It stays in midwater or close to the bottom, but
sometimes moves into the shallows, where its dorsal fin can
be seen sticking up out of the water. It even occasionally Prominent black fin
tips are underlined
ventures into brackish (slightly salty) waters of estuaries. with white
White band
runs along side
of body toward
the rear
Short,
rounded snout
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
This shark wil

l
not leave its
favorite patch
of reef for year
DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of tropical s
on end.
Indian and western Pacific oceans,

and Mediterranean and Red seas
DIET: Fish, crustaceans, squid,

and mollusks
174
GRAY
REEF SHARK
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Very popular with tourists, the gray reef

shark is a highly common reef shark in the
tropics. It swims in groups in shallow water
and is sometimes curious enough to
approach divers. At night, the groups
seem to get more restless
and disperse into more
open waters.
White underside
contrasts with
gray upper body
Pregnant
female gray
ay
reef sharks m
gather in la rge
grou p s.
Black-tipped fins
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Possibly up to 8.2 ft

(2.5 m) long

the tropical and warm, temperate

Indian and western Pacific oceans
DIET: Fish, squid, octopuses,

and crustaceans
175
BRONZE
Grayish upper body
has a bronze sheen
WHALER
Carcharhinus brachyurus
The bronze
whaler grows
slower than
most other
kinds of shark.
Black fin edges

may be clearer
on some fins
than others
Long
pectoral fins
Each year large numbers of the DATA FILE

bronze whaler gather along the East PREDATOR POWER
African coast to follow the sardine
run, a seasonal northward migration SIZE: Up to 9.5 ft (2.9 m) long
of massive shoals of sardines that
attracts many of the ocean’s predators.
Bronze whalers in other parts of the DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters
of Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian

world also make small migrations, oceans, and Mediterranean Sea
but the reasons are not always clear. DIET: Fish, squid, and octopuses
176
BLUE
SHARK
Prionace glauca
Often hunting
in packs, blue
sharks are
called the
“wolves of
the sea.”
Unlike the related reef sharks, the blue shark spends
much of its life away from coastlines. By hunting
in groups, it can make shoals of prey bunch together,
even in the wide expanse of the open ocean. These
hunters take turns to grab a mouthful from
the gathered prey.
Long, narrow pectoral fins

are good for turning at These sharks feed
speed while swimming predominantly at night
and probably use their
large, well-developed
eyes at close range to
DATA FILE detect bioluminescence
PREDATOR POWER
DISTRIBUTION: Open ocean

worldwide, except in the coldest

regions, and Mediterranean Sea
DIET: Fish, squid, other

invertebrates, and seabirds
177
WHITETIP
Triaenodon obesus
REEF SHARK
The whitetip reef shark prowls the rocky Slender body and extra
tough skin help the shark
crevices of a tropical reef in search of prey. hunt easily among rocks
Small fish dart between rocks that provide
a safe hiding spot, but this shark’s small,
slender body is perfect for reaching them.
Sometimes, if the shark fails to make a grab
straight away, it waits patiently between
the rocks until its prey emerges.
Strong brow ridges

protect the eyes of
the shark as it probes
between rocks for prey
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

tropical Indian and Pacific oceans,

and Red Sea
DIET: Fish, octopuses, lobsters,

and crabs
178
This shark
rarely travels
more than
1.86 miles (3 km
)
from home in
a year.
White tip on
dorsal fin
179
GREAT
Sphyrna mokarran
HAMMERHEAD
The great hammerhead shark may Enormous, first dorsal fin
swim over coral reefs, but it often stands higher than those
of any other hammerhead
goes further into the open ocean
on its journey to new coastlines.
Like other hammerheads, the great
hammerhead sweeps the ocean
bottom with its “hammer” to
sense bottom-living prey and has
a particular taste for stingrays.
180
Distinct notch in the
center of the “hammer”
The great
hammerhead
is the biggest
of all the
hammerhead
sharks.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER

Pectoral and pelvic
fins curve back
strongly along their
rear margins
of tropical and warm, temperate

oceans worldwide
DIET: Stingrays, groupers, and

sea catfish
181
SCALLOPED
Sphyrna lewini
HAMMERHEAD
Front edge of
Eyes on hammer hammer is wavy
tips give a wide
field of view
The hammerhead shark’s

wide head is packed with
sensors that detect the
movement and scent of prey.
The scalloped hammerhead
has a taste for stingrays
buried in mud and sand.
To find its prey, it sweeps its
head over the ocean bottom,
like a metal detector, grabbing
any ray hidden beneath.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
The hammer
provides the SIZE: Up to 13.8 ft (4.2 m) long
hammerhead
with lift when
swimming. DISTRIBUTION: Coastal ocean
waters worldwide
DIET: Fish (including other sharks

and rays) and invertebrates
182
DATA FILE
CROWN-OF-THORNS
STARFISH
PREDATOR POWER
Acanthaster planci SIZE: Up to 27.6 in (70 cm)

in diameter

waters of Indian and Pacific oceans,
Here is the ultimate enemy of coral. It is and Red Sea
one of the biggest of all starfish and has DIET: Coral reef polyps
an appetite to match. It creeps on tiny
tube feet over the surface of a coral
colony, nibbling away at the fleshy polyps.
Few animals can eat this starfish, and so
heavy infestations of the crown-of-thorns
can cause serious damage to a reef.
Spines can transfer

poison, causing swelling
and pain to human skin
Up to 21 arms
A single
starfish can
kill 64.6 sq ft
(6 sq m)
of coral in
a year.
183
GREEN
Gymnothorax funebris
MORAY EEL
Morays include the biggest kinds of eel. Most
live in rocky lairs on coral reefs and rely on
surprise to ambush passing prey. Some
Mouth is kept open
morays seem to cooperate with predatory to keep water
grouper fish in driving prey into the open moving through
small gill openings
from between rocks—so both hunters end
up with a share of the meal.
Morays have
an extra set
of jaws in their
throat that
pop out to
grab prey.
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
Yellowish or greenish
color comes from DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
a protective waters of the Gulf of Mexico and

mucus coating Caribbean Sea
DIET: Fish, crabs, squid, and shrimps
184
HUMPHEAD DATA FILE
WRASSE
PREDATOR POWER
Cheilinus undulatus SIZE: Up to 7.5 ft (2.3 m) long

Indian and western Pacific oceans,
This reef-dwelling fish is a big, unfussy and Red Sea
predator and will tackle prey that many DIET: Mollusks, fish, sea urchins,
other hunters find distasteful or even crustaceans, and other invertebrates
poisonous. Juveniles usually stay hidden

among rocks and seaweed, but big adults
patrol more open water on the edge of the
reef. Adults change sex when they reach This fish may
eat poisonous
maturity, turning from female to male animals, such
after about nine years. as crown-of-
thorns starfish.
Forehead hump is
prominent in bigger,
older individuals
Thick,
fleshy lips
185
BRAIN DATA FILE
CORAL
PREDATOR POWER
Colpophyllia natans SIZE: Colony up to 6.6 ft (2 m)

in diameter
DISTRIBUTION: Coral reefs of Gulf

of Mexico and Caribbean Sea
Coral may look like lifeless rock, but in
fact it is a colony of tiny predators. At DIET: Tiny planktonic animals
night, its rocky skeleton comes alive with
thousands of tiny polyps. Each polyp is
like a miniature anemone, with a ring of
little tentacles for catching plankton, and a
central mouth for swallowing the tiny meal.
Coral
colonies release
eggs and
sperms
simultaneously.
Ridges of the skeleton

make the colony’s surface
look like a human brain
186
MAGNIFICENT
SEA ANEMONE
Heteractis magnifica Clown fish
families often
live in the
tentacles of
Anemones may look like plants, but they are sea anemones.
actually predatory animals. Their muscular
tentacles are armed with microscopic stingers
that paralyse small prey. The magnificent sea
anemone supplements this diet by making use
of algae that live in its flesh. These use light
energy in bright sunlight to provide sugar
through a process called photosynthesis.
Stinging tentacles catch

plankton and transfer it
to the mouth in the center
DATA FILE
PREDATOR POWER
SIZE: Up to 19.7 in (50 cm)

in diameter

tropical Indian and western

Pacific oceans, and Red Sea
DIET: Small invertebrates and tiny

fish; some food is made by algae
living in the anemone’s flesh
Column contains the
stomach for digesting prey
187
HARLEQUIN DATA FILE
SHRIMP
PREDATOR POWER
Hymenocera picta SIZE: Up to 2 in (5 cm) long

This colorful, little shrimp has a taste waters of Indian and western
Pacific oceans
for starfish flesh and little else, and will
DIET: Starfish and sometimes
go to extraordinary lengths to get a meal. sea urchins
The harlequin shrimp is strong and nimble
enough to carry a small starfish back to
its burrow. Once there, it uses the starfish
as a kind of living pantry, feeding on it one
leg at a time. Sharp claws help tear
starfish into pieces
Sensory antennae
can “taste” the
water for prey
This shrimp
can flip a
starfish onto it
s
back to nibble
on its soft
underside.
188
ANNA’S Hornlike gills
at the rear of
SEA SLUG
the body
Chromodoris annae
Bright colors warn

predators that this sea
slug might be poisonous
Sensory club on
the head projects
into the water
Anna’s sea
slugs can
“smell” spong
e
prey with thei
r
sensory clubs.
Not all predators on a reef gobble DATA FILE

down their prey in one go. Like land PREDATOR POWER
snails, sea slugs feed by rasping away
at stationary food. Anna’s sea slug
prefers to eat sponges, a type of
colonial animal that grows fixed
on rocks. Other sea slugs munch on DISTRIBUTION: Tropical coastal
waters of western Pacific Ocean

stinging anemones and even use
the stingers for their own protection. DIET: Sponges
189
REFERENCE
Sharks include some of the most
formidable predators of the ocean.
Practically every ocean habitat,
from the intertidal shallows to the
deepest abyss, is home to sharks.
Their family tree extends back
hundreds of millions of years,
but these are no primitive
survivors of a bygone age—
modern sharks have sharp senses
for finding prey and sophisticated
ways of raising their young.
THE SHARK FAMILY TREE
Sharks have been hunting the oceans since before the time of the dinosaurs.
Together with chimaeras and rays, they belong to a group of fish with a skeleton
made from mineralized cartilage, rather than bone. About 500 shark species
in nine main groups are around today, but many other sharklike fish that lived
millions of years ago are now extinct.
Broadnose
sevengill shark
Sea lamprey
Primeval predators
Chimaeras that are alive today, such
Jawless fish as the frilled shark and
and their extinct relatives,
Lampreys and Hagfish
including Ischyodus sevengill sharks
Hybodus
Helicoprion
Hybodus
Helicoprion Xenacanthus
Stethacanthus and
Falcatus
Placoderms
such as Dunkleosteus
Cladoselache
Dunkleosteus
Reference
All vertebrates descend from a common ancestor that lived more than 500 mya
192
THE EVIDENCE
Scientists use different methods to
Killers between work out how groups of animals
the tides such as have evolved. They look for
7 in (18 cm)
wobbegongs and similarities in living sharks and their
bullhead sharks DNA, and study fossils of prehistoric
Horn shark,
an example of a species. But cartilaginous skeletons
bullhead shark Open-ocean of sharks do not preserve well, and
cruisers and chasers fossilized teeth sometimes provide
such as the the only evidence from the past.
great white shark Fossilized
Megalodon tooth
Mud-rooting Muscle-mouthed
monsters gulpers such as the
such as sawsharks and whale shark and
angelsharks the nurse shark
Devils of the dark

such as lantern sharks, Inshore marauders
such as cat sharks Modern bony
spiny dogfish, and
and reef sharks Rays fish and
sleeper sharks
other vertebrates
Leedsichthys
Acanthodes, a
carboniferous
spiny “shark”
Leedsichthys
Acanthodes
KEY
Reference
Living Extinct
193
THE SHARK MACHINE
Most sharks are big, torpedo-shaped predators that
swim through open water, but some have a flattened
body for settling on the sea floor. A few others filter Skeleton
plankton from water instead of biting prey. Like most The spine and rest of the
shark’s skeleton is made from
other fish, sharks have paired pectoral and pelvic fins cartilage that is hardened by
for steering, and dorsal and anal fins for stabilizing minerals. The skeleton of
the body’s posture in the water. Power for movement most other vertebrates is
mainly made of bone,
comes from the shark’s beating tail. which is even harder.
Second dorsal
fin is absent in
some sharks
Tail
The spine runs
upward into the
top section (lobe)
of the tail, which is
usually bigger than
the lower section.
Anal fin Pelvic fin

(one of a pair)
Skin Oily liver

Shark skin feels Unlike most bony
rough like sandpaper, fishes, sharks do
because it is covered not have a gas-filled
with tiny, toothlike swim bladder to stay
prickles called buoyant. Instead,
Reference
“dermal denticles.” buoyancy comes from

an extra-oily liver.
194
First dorsal fin is usually
bigger than second
Gill arches Super senses
This cage-like part of The skin has jelly-filled
the skeleton supports the pores (ampullae of
shark’s gills, which extract Lorenzini), which are
oxygen from water. The especially packed on
water enters through the snout. These pores
the mouth, moves over the are sensitive to the
gills, and then runs out electrical activity given
from the slits, of which off by the muscles
most sharks have five. and nerves of prey.
Upper jaw
is loosely
connected
to the skull,
enabling it to
extend easily
Lower jaw can

also be extended
Pectoral fin
(one of a pair)
JAWS AND TEETH

Sharks are
predators—some
filter feed, while
others use their jaws
to bite into their prey.
Some sharks can
Cutting teeth Grinding teeth of Projectile jaws of Gouging
protrude their jaws
of great bullhead shark goblin shark jaws of
further than others.
Reference
white shark cookiecutter shark
195
SHARKS AS HUNTERS
All sharks get their food by eating other animals. A few, such as
the whale shark, are filter-feeders, who strain tiny animals from the
ocean’s floating plankton. Other sharks scavenge on dead material
and will even follow fishing boats to grab leftovers. However, most
kinds of shark hunt, bite, and kill living prey. They have an impressive
array of sense organs for hunting. The smallest sharks target fish
and invertebrates, but some of the biggest hunters prey on animals
up to the size of dolphins and seals.
MORE THAN 1/2 MILE (1 KM) AWAY LESS THAN 1/2 MILE (1 KM) AWAY
Smelling Feeling the

the blood movement
Sharks can detect the A series of pores
presence of prey across run in a so-called lateral line
miles of ocean water by Listening down the side of the shark’s
using the super-sensitive smell for movement body. Seawater seeping into
and taste receptors in their Sharks can hear the sound of these pores goes through tiny
nostrils and mouth. Some sharks an animal splashing about in tubes containing sensors that
are said to be able to sniff a drop the water, and some are good detect changing water currents,
of blood 3 miles (5 km) away. at homing in on the thrashing which are possible evidence of
Reference
noises made by a so-called nearby prey.

“feeding frenzy,” in which lots of
sharks gather to feast on meat.
196
DIFFERENT HUNTING TECHNIQUES
Many sharks are masters of the
ambush and take their prey by
surprise in dark or cloudy waters.
Some hunters, such as angelsharks,
rely on camouflage to stay hidden on
the seabed. The so-called mackerel
sharks, including the great white, are
champion swimmers and chase down
prey in open water. This great white
has leapt out of water after prey.
50 FT (15 M) AWAY 3.3 FT (1 M) AWAY
Sensing
the life
When a shark gets close, another
kind of sensing system takes
Eyeing over—the ampullae of Lorenzini. Taking a bite
the victim The ampullae are jelly-filled Unlike most other back-boned
As the shark pores concentrated on the animals, the upper jaw of a shark
approaches its prey, its eyes form snout that detect the faint is not rigidly attached to the
a clear image of the target. The electrical activity of the prey’s skull, so the jaws can protrude
eyes of some kinds of shark muscles and nerves, even when outward. This helps the shark
Reference
work well even at low light it tries to hide. to take a more effective and
intensity, helping them hunt bigger bite when it lunges
in dark or cloudy water. forward to attack prey.
197
SHARK LIFE CYCLES
Most fish lay many eggs to improve the chances of survival of at least
some of their tiny young. Sharks produce fewer offspring, and about Some female
60 percent of species give birth to live pups, after a prolonged sharks have
pregnancy. This means the pups are born at an advanced stage of given birth
development, giving them a good chance of looking after themselves. without being
fertilized.
The remaining sharks produce eggs in protective, horny cases.
Gestation
Sharks that give birth

Sharks that give birth to live young do so
after a pregnancy that, depending upon
to live young
species, may be up to two years long. In

some kinds of shark, the unborn pups are
even nourished by the mother in the womb.
Giving birth
Mating
Sharks often choose to give birth in sheltered All species of shark have internal
nursery grounds, away from the danger of fertilization so must mate. During
predators. This newborn lemon shark is still mating, the male bites the female to
Reference
attached to its mother by its umbilical cord, hold on and then passes sperm into
the special thread that passed nutrients into her body through special grooved
the unborn pup when it was still in the womb. structures on his pelvic fins.
198
GROWING UP
The habitat and even appearance of a shark
can change as it grows up. Many newborn
sharks spend their infancy in the shelter
of shallow bays before venturing out into
the deeper ocean. Young sharks of some
species have striking patterns, possibly for
camouflage. Zebra shark pups, for instance,
lose their stripes and become spotted as
they grow older. These stripes may help
the pups look like sea snakes. Zebra shark pup Adult zebra shark
Egg cases
Sharks that lay egg cases
Some sharks produce leathery egg cases that

harden soon after release. Some cases are
ridged to help them get wedged between
rocks, such as the spiral casing of this bullhead
shark case. Others have tassels so they snag
on weed and don’t get washed away.
Growing in the egg case
Young get nourishment from their yolk sac

and grow bigger inside their egg cases. The
cases may take a year to hatch, but some
Reference
kinds of shark retain them for longer in their

body for protection, and only release them
when their development is nearly complete.
199
SHARKS IN OCEAN HABITATS
With a few exceptions, all sharks live in the saltwater
of the ocean. Some sharks, including the most primitive MIGRATION
kinds, prefer to stick to deep, dark waters that make up Some sharks are long-distance
the biggest proportion of the ocean habitat by volume. travelers, following migratory
routes that may differ between
Others hunt near the surface, or stay in the shallower age groups or sexes. Female Mating
coastal waters of the ocean’s continental shelves. blue sharks cross the Atlantic Pupping
Ocean, between mating grounds
Surface ocean waters in the west and sites for giving
0–656 ft (0–200 m) birth in the east.
The clear, sunlit ocean surface supports
billions of tiny animals and plants
called plankton—food for filter-feeders
such as whale sharks and forming the
start of a food chain that ends with
meat-eaters such as the great white.
0–656 ft
Intertidal zone
0–66 ft (0–20 m)
Where the ocean meets the land,
animals must cope with the movement
of tides and the crashing of waves. A few
sharks, such as the epaulette shark, can
Twilight Zone Sunlight Zone

656–3,280 ft
(200–1,000m) (0–200 m)
survive out of water while the tide is low.
Midnight Zone
3,280–13,120 ft
(1,000–4,000 m)
Coastal ocean waters
0–656 ft (0–200 m)
Many sharks stick to the waters along
the edges of continents and islands,
where nutrient-rich waters can teem
with prey. Females of some shark species,
such as the lemon shark, give birth in
shallow bays and lagoons.
Abyss
(4,000–6,000 m)
13,120–19,680 ft
Deep ocean waters
3,280–13,120 ft (1,000–4,000 m)
The deep ocean is home to bizarre
animals, such as the frilled shark.
Light dims into complete darkness
at greater depths, through the gloom
of the “twilight zone,” the pitch
blackness of the “midnight zone,”
to the “abyss” at the bottom.
SHARK FACTS AND FIGURES
Sharks are dominant predators in the world’s
oceans—a place they share with a huge variety
of animals. They have incredible, record-breaking SHARK HABITATS
lives. Impressive predators, the biggest meat- Longest shark m
igration: Great wh
shark (12,427 mile ite
eating sharks are at the top of the ocean s/20,000 km)
Longest vertical
food chain. Pygmy shark (at lea
shark migration:
st 4,920 ft/1,500 m
Longest time surv )
ived out of wate
Blind shark (18 ho r:
urs)
LES
SHARK LIFE CYC
Deepest-living sh
ark: Portuguese
dogfish (12,057 ft/
sh 3,675 m)
ark: Spiny dogfi
Longest-lived sh e: 75 ye ar s) Shallowest-living
shark: Epaulette
rded ag
(maximum reco shark (sometimes
barely submerged)
th rate: Greenland
Slowest grow Smallest home ra
nge: Blacktip reef
cm per year)
shark (0.39 in/1 k
shark (0.1 sq mile
/0.3 sq km)
rate: Whale shar
Fastest growth pe r ye ar )
in/46 cm
(as a juvenile: 18
Biggest sharks shown to scale
Great white shark Basking shark

(16.4 ft/6 m) (33 ft/10 m)
Reference
0 16.4 ft (5 m)
202
SHARKS AS HUNTERS
INE
THE SHARK MACH Strongest bite of any an
Great white shark (18,00
imal:
have ever lived: 0 Newtons;
Biggest shark to a Newton is a measurem
ent of force—
20 m long)
Megalodon (66 ft/ the force of a bite in thi
s case)
today: Whale Strongest shark bite for
Biggest shark alive its size:
long) Horn shark (338 Newto
shark (66 ft/20 m ns)
t sh ark alive today: Fastest bite: Wobbego
Second bigges ng (1⁄50 second)
ft/10 m long)
Basking shark (33 Biggest shark teeth eve
r: Megalodon
ing shark: Great (7 in/18 cm long)
Biggest meat-eat
ft/6 m long)
white shark (19.6 Biggest shark teeth of
any shark alive
arf lantern shark today: Great white shark
Smallest shark: Dw (2.7 in/7 cm)
(8.2 in/21 cm long) Biggest teeth relative
to size:
e to size: Thresher
Longest tail relativ
Large-toothed cookiecut
ter shark
l len gth)
shark (half of tota Fastest swimming sha
rk: Short-finned
y animal: Whale mako shark (62 mph/100
Thickest skin of an kph)
)
shark (6 in/15 cm Slowest swimming sha
rk: Greenland
shark (0.7 mph/1.25 kph
)
Megalodon
(66 ft/20 m)
Whale shark
(66 ft/20 m)
Reference
49.2 ft (15 m) 66 ft (20 m)
203
GLOSSARY
Anal fin Cartilage Egg case
An unpaired fin on the A tough, rubbery material A tough, protective, horny
underside of a fish, behind that makes up the skeleton casing that encloses the
the pelvic fins and in front of sharks and related fish. fertilized eggs of some
of the tail. Most other vertebrates sharks and rays.
Antenna (back-boned animals) have Feeding frenzy
A feeler-like sense organ on a skeleton made mainly of When a group of predators,
the head of certain kinds of bone with a little cartilage such as sharks, gathers together
invertebrate (animals without in places. to herd and attack prey.
a backbone). Cold-blooded Filter-feeder
Barbel An animal whose body An animal that feeds by
A whisker-like, sensory organ temperature varies with straining out plankton
near the mouth of certain kinds that of the surroundings. or other small particles of
of fish, such as the sawshark. Reptiles, amphibians, fish, food suspended in water.
and invertebrates are
Bioluminescence Flatfish
cold-blooded.
The production of light A type of bony fish in which
by living things, caused by Continental shelf both eyes have moved to
chemical reactions in the A region of shallow ocean water the same side of the head
body. Many deep-sea animals that surrounds a continent. On by the time it has become
are luminous (produce light), its outer edge, it plunges down an adult. It then lives with its
which helps them attract into the deep sea. “blind side” facing downward
prey, distract predators, Crustacean close to the seabed. Plaice
or communicate. An invertebrate with jointed and flounders are flatfish.
Bivalve legs and, usually, a hard, outer Food chain
A shelled mollusk with a shell shell. Shrimp, crabs, lobsters, A sequence in which energy
made up of two connected and krill are crustaceans. in food passes from one living
parts. Clams and mussels Denticle thing to another, such as when
are bivalves. A tiny, hard, toothlike scale on plants are eaten by herbivores,
Buoyancy the skin of sharks and rays. and herbivores are eaten
The ability of an aquatic Dorsal fin by carnivores.
(water-living) living thing An unpaired upright fin on the Fossil
to float in water. back of a fish, whale, or dolphin. The remains or traces of
Camouflage Echinoderm long-extinct animals or
The way the appearance of An invertebrate with a starlike plants left in rocks.
an animal, such as its color body, hard chalky plates in its Gill
or shape, helps it blend in skin, and tube feet. Starfish and A part of the body used by
with its surroundings. sea urchins are echinoderms. an animal to breathe in water.
Oxygen in the water moves into Operculum rays. Some of the water taken
the blood in the gills. A flap that covers the gill into the mouth for breathing
Intertidal zone openings in most kinds of fish. emerges through the spiracles;
The region of ocean shoreline It is not found in sharks and the rest moves out over the gills.
that is regularly uncovered and rays, which is why their gill Reef
then covered by water during slits are visible. A large, rocky structure,
the ebb and flow of the tide. Parasite usually found around tropical
Invertebrate A living thing that gets food or coastlines, which is formed
An animal without a backbone. shelter from another, called the by the growth of coral.
host, causing the other harm.
Keel Reptile
A ridge running down each Pectoral fin A back-boned, cold-blooded
side of the body near the tail, A pair of fins connected to the animal with dry, scaly skin.
in some kinds of fish. Keels “chest” region of a fish, usually
Turtles, lizards, snakes, and
help stabilize the fish in the just behind the head.
crocodiles are reptiles.
water and are prominent Pelvic fin
Scavenger
in fast swimmers. A pair of fins connected to the
An animal that gets its food
Larva underside of a fish, behind
by eating the leftovers of
The young stage of certain the pectoral fins and usually
in the region of the belly. other animals.
kinds of animal. Usually a
Photosynthesis Tentacle
larva looks different from
A chemical process in plants, Long, soft, moving “arms” in
the adult form.
algae, and seaweed in which some kinds of animal, including
Mammal octopuses and squid. They use
sunlight is used to make food
A back-boned, warm-blooded the tentacles to catch prey.
from carbon dioxide and water.
animal, such as a human or
Plankton Venom
whale. Mothers of all mammals
feed their young with milk. Tiny animals and plants that A poisonous substance that
swim or float in water. harms the body when it enters
Migration
Polyp through a bite or a sting.
A periodic animal journey,
usually to reach feeding A tiny, anemone-like, moving Vertebrate
or breeding grounds. Many part of a coral. Each polyp An animal with a backbone.
ocean animals migrate across has stinging tentacles for Examples include fish,
stretches of ocean, but others grabbing prey. amphibians, reptiles,
do vertical migration from Predator birds, and mammals.
the depths of the ocean to An animal that kills another Warm-blooded
its surface. animal for food. An animal whose body
Mollusk Prey temperature stays warm, even
An invertebrate with a soft, An animal that is killed by when the surroundings are cold.
muscular body. Some mollusks, a predator for food. Mammals and birds are warm-
such as snails and clams, have Spiracle blooded. A few fish, such as the
a hard shell. Others, such as A small breathing hole behind great white and sailfish, are
squid and octopuses, do not. the eyes of most sharks and partly warm-blooded too.
fossils 193
INDEX
frilled shark 9, 20–21, 192, 201,
203
fringehead, sarcastic 152
frogfish, psychedelic 98
frogmouth, pink 99
A Cladoselache 12–13, 192
alligator gar 28–29 coastal ocean waters 132–65, G
ambushes 197 201 Galapagos shark 172
anatomy 194–95, 203 coelacanth 30 gestation 198
angelsharks 193, 197 cone shell 86–87 giant squid 68–69
common 39 cookiecutter shark 59, 203 gills 195
sand devil 38 coral, brain 186 goblin shark 117
anglerfish 96–97 coral reefs 166–89 great white shark 112–13, 193, 197,
humpback 68–69 Cretaceous Period 202, 203
chimaera 22–23 Greenland shark 56–57, 202, 203
B Hybodont shark 16 grouper, giant 100
bambooshark, white-spotted 84–85 plesiosaurs 31 guitarfish
barbeled dragonfish 64–65 crocodile, saltwater 160–61 common 41
barracuda, great 120 crocodile shark 111 giant 42
basking shark 106–07, 202, 203 gummy shark 146–47
birth 198 D
bites 203 deep-ocean habitat 52–71, 201 H
blacktip shark 168 Devonian Period habitats 200–01, 202
blind shark 77, 202 placoderms 11 hagfish 192
blue shark 177, 200, 202 sharks 12–13 hammerhead sharks 203
bony fish 35, 105, 193 dogfish great 180–81
giant Jurassic 28–29 Portuguese 202 scalloped 182
brain coral 186 spiny 60–61, 202 hatchetfish, Sladen’s 63
bronze whaler 176 dragonfish, barbeled 64–65 Helicoprion 20–21, 192
bull shark 150–51 Dunkleosteus 11, 192 horn shark 95, 193, 203
bullhead sharks 193, 199 dusky shark 171 hound sharks
horn shark 95 banded 146–47
zebra bullhead 74 E big-eyed 142–43
eagle ray, spotted 118 gummy shark 146–47
C eel-like shark, prehistoric 14–15 starry smooth hound 145
camouflage 35, 197 eels humpback whale 124–25
Carboniferous Period green moray 184 hunting 196–97, 203
shark 14–15 pelican 62 hybodont shark (Hybodus) 16, 192
spiny shark 22–23, 193 eggs 198, 199
carpet shark, collared 76 electric ray, lesser 45 IJK
cat sharks 193 elephant seal, southern 157 ichthyosaurs 9, 32
black-mouthed 141 emperor penguin 159 intertidal zone 72–89, 191, 200
coral 136 epaulette shark 82–83, 200, 202 jawless fish 192
grey-spotted 140 jaws 195
pyjama shark 137 F jellyfish
red-spotted 138 Falcatus 14–15, 192 box 128
small-spotted 134–35 family tree 192–93, 203 lion’s mane 129
chimaeras 192 fertilization 198 Jurassic Period
Australian ploughnose 24 filter-feeders 196, 200 giant bony fish 28–29
Cretaceous 22–23 fins 194 ichthyosaurs 32
Pacific longnose 25 flatfish 35 killer whale 154–55
rabbitfish 26–27 flounder, peacock 48–49 kitefin shark 60–61
L R spiny dogfish 60–61, 193, 202
lampreys 10, 192 rabbitfish 26–27 spiny shark 22–23, 193
lancetfish 67 rays 35, 193 spiral-toothed chimeroid 20–21
lantern sharks 193 blue-spotted ribbontail 46–47 squid
dwarf 203 lesser electric 45 giant 68–69
velvet-belly 54–55 manta 105, 119 vampire 70
Leedsichthys 193 marbled torpedo 44 starfish
lemon shark 149, 198, 200 spotted eagle 118 common 88
leopard seal 156 reef sharks 193 crown-of-thorns 183
leopard shark 144 blacktip 174, 202 Stethacanthus 12–13, 192
life cycle 198–99, 202 Caribbean 173 stonefish 101
lionfish, common 102–03 gray 175 surface ocean waters 104–31, 200
liver 194 whitetip 166–67, 178–79 swell sharks, Australian 134–35
lizardfish, deep-sea 66 reef worm, biting 51
requiem sharks 133 T
M ribbontail ray, blue-spotted 46–47 tail 194, 203
mako shark, short-finned rough shark, angular 54–55 teeth 193, 195, 203
114, 203 thresher shark 116, 203
manta rays 105 S tiger shark 148
giant 119 sailfish 105, 121 tope shark 142–43
mantis shrimp, peacock 164 salmon shark 115 torpedo ray, marbled 44
mating 198–99 saltwater crocodile 160–61 trevally, giant 123
Megalodon 33, 193, 203 sand devil 38 tuna, Atlantic bluefin 122
megamouth shark 108 sand stargazer 50 turtle, leatherback 127
migration 200 sandtiger sharks 110
Miocene epoch 33 small-toothed 109 V
moray eels, green 184 sawfish, small-toothed 43 vampire squid 70
mud-rooting monsters 34–52 sawsharks 193 velvet-belly 54–55
longnose 36–37 venom 86
NO sea anemone, magnificent 187 Venus comb 84–85
nautilus 163 sea lampreys 10, 192 vertebrates 192, 193
nurse sharks 95, 193 sea otter 158 viperfish, Sloane’s 64–65
tawny 96–97 sea slug, Anna’s 189
ocean habitats 200–01 sea snake 162 W
octopuses seals weever, lesser 48–49
giant Pacific 71 leopard 156 whale shark 92–93, 193, 196, 202, 203
southern blue-ringed 89 southern elephant 157 whales
otter, sea 158 senses 195, 196–97 humpback 124–25
sevengill shark killer 154–55
P broadnose 19, 192 sperm 126
pelican eel 62 sharpnose 17 whitetip shark, oceanic 169
penguin, emperor 159 shrimps wobbegongs 193, 203
Permian Period 14, 16 barrel 131 cobbler 80
pistol shrimp, smooth-clawed 165 harlequin 188 ornate 78
placoderms 11, 192 peacock mantis 164 spotted 79
plankton 105, 167, 196, 200 smooth-clawed pistol 165 tasselled 81
plesiosaur, Cretaceous 31 silky shark 170 wolf-fish, Atlantic 153
Portuguese Man o’ War 130 sixgill shark, bluntnose 18 wrasse, humphead 185
prey 196 skate, big 40
primeval sharks 8–33, 192 skeleton 194 XYZ
puffadder shy shark 139 skin 194, 203 Xenacanthus 14–15, 192
pygmy shark 58, 202 sleeper sharks 193 young 198–99, 202
pyjama shark 137 sperm whale 126 zebra shark 94, 199
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Dorling Kindersley would like to thank David Shale (cr). 65 Science Photo Library: Dante Ushioda (br). 150-151 OceanwideImages.com:
the following people for their assistance Fenolio (ca). 66 naturepl.com: David Shale (bl). Michael Patrick O’Neill. 151 SeaPics.com: Andy
with this book: 67 Photoshot: Paulo de Oliveira (cl). 68-69 Murch (tr). 152 SeaPics.com: D.R. Schrichte; D. R.
Charvi Arora, Esha Banerjee, Shatarupa SeaPics.com: Doug Perrine (t). 70 Ardea: Steve Schrichte (bl). 153 SeaPics.com: Florian Graner;
Chaudhuri, Ateendriya Gupta, Nandini Gupta, Downer. 71 Alamy Images: AF archive. 72-73 Shedd AQ / Brenna Hernandez (br). 154-155
Victoria Pyke, Rupa Rao, and Deeksha Saikia for SeaPics.com: Jonathan Bird. 74 Corbis: Norbert Corbis: Pablo Cersosimo / robertharding. 155
editorial assistance; Sheila Collins, Anjana Nair, Wu / Minden Pictures. 75 SeaPics.com: D.R. Alamy Images: Paul Fleet (tc). 156 Dreamstime.
and Amit Verma for design assistance; Neeraj Schrichte. 76 OceanwideImages.com: Rudie com: Richard Lindie (bl). Photoshot: Steve Jones.
Bhatia for hi-res assistance; Shanker Prasad Kuiter. 77 SeaPics.com: Andy Murch. 78 SeaPics. 157 naturepl.com: Gabriel Rojo. SeaPics.com:
for CTS assistance; Sumedha Chopra for picture com: Jonathan Bird. 79 SeaPics.com: Nigel Marsh. V&W / Gerard Lacz (br). 158 Alamy Images:
research assistance; Hazel Beynon for proofreading; 80 Photoshot: A.N.T. Photo Library / NHPA (cr). Cornforth Images (cr); imageBROKER / Thomas
and Helen Peters for the index. SeaPics.com: John C. Lewis. 81 SeaPics.com: Sbampato. 159 Getty Images: Paul Nicklen.
Franco Banfi. 82 Rex Shutterstock: Gerard Lacz SeaPics.com: Michael S. Nolan (crb). 162 SeaPics.
Picture Credits (cl). 82-83 FLPA: Norbert Wu. 84-85 SeaPics.com: com: Michael Aw. 163 SeaPics.com: Reinhard
Nigel Marsh (b). 86-87 SuperStock: Minden Dirscherl. 164 FLPA: ImageBroker. 165 SeaPics.
The publisher would like to thank the following Pictures. 88 SeaPics.com: Andrew J. Martinez. com: Franco Banfi. 166-167 SeaPics.com: David
for their kind permission to reproduce their 89 Fotolia: Strezhnev Pavel (background). B. Fleetham. 168 SeaPics.com: Reinhard
photographs: OceanwideImages.com: Gary Bell. 90-91 Dirscherl. 169 OceanwideImages.com: C & M
SeaPics.com: Reinhard Dirscherl. 92-93 Corbis: Fallows. 170 SeaPics.com: Masa Ushioda. 171
(Key: a-above; b-below/bottom; c-center; f-far; Reinhard Dirscherl / / age fotostock Spain S.L. SeaPics.com: e-Photo / Toshio Minami. 172
l-left; r-right; t-top) 94 SeaPics.com: Nigel Marsh. 95 Corbis: Andy SeaPics.com: Masa Ushioda. 173 SeaPics.com:
Murch / Visuals Unlimited. SeaPics.com: Masa Masa Ushioda. 174 OceanwideImages.com: Gary
2 SeaPics.com: Andy Murch. 3 SeaPics.com: Masa Ushioda (bc). 96-97 Alamy Images: Evagelos Bell. 175 SeaPics.com: Jez Tryner. 176 FLPA:
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Whitehead (r). 5 SeaPics.com: Doug Perrine (l); Banfi (b); Mark Strickland (t). 98 Corbis: Birgitte Fallows. 178-179 SeaPics.com: Andy Murch.
5Mark Strickland (r). 6 Corbis: Andy Murch / Wilms / Minden Pictures. 99 SeaPics.com: Lia 180-181 SeaPics.com: Jim Abernethy. 182 Alamy
Visuals Unlimited (l). SeaPics.com: Masa Ushioda Barrett. 100 OceanwideImages.com: Gary Bell. Images: Martin Strmiska. 183 Corbis: Reinhard
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Corbis: Wil Meinderts / Buiten-beeld / Minden Fotoprogetto. 102-103 Alamy Images: Jane naturepl.com: Doug Perrine. 187 Ardea: Colin
Pictures. 11 123RF.com: Michael Rosskothen (cla). Gould. 104-105 SeaPics.com: C & M Fallows. Marshall. 188 OceanwideImages.com: Gary Bell.
12-13 Science Photo Library: JAIME CHIRINOS 106-107 naturepl.com: Dan Burton. 108 189 Dorling Kindersley: Linda Pitkin. 190-191
(t). 14-15 FLPA: Ian Coleman / Minden Pictures (t). SeaPics.com: Tom Haight. 109 naturepl.com: SeaPics.com: Doug Perrine. 192 Alamy Images:
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Cheng. 19 SeaPics.com: Tobias Friedrich. 20-21 SeaPics.com: Reinhard Dirscherl (tr). 114 SeaPics.com: Tobias Friedrich (cra). 193 Science
FLPA: Kelvin Aitken / Biosphoto (t). Science SeaPics.com: Andy Murch. 115 SeaPics.com: Photo Library: JAIME CHIRINOS (crb). 194 FLPA:
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imagequestmarine.com. 26-27 naturepl.com: (crb); David Shen. 118 SeaPics.com: Masa (br/cookie); Jeffrey L. Rotman (bc/mouth).
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Picture Library: Reinhard Dirscherl. 36-37 Richard Herrmann. 123 SeaPics.com: David B. Corbis: Gerald Nowak / Westend61 (cl). Getty
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Sharks and Other Deadly Ocean Creatures - Visual Encyclopedia

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Sharks and Other Deadly Ocean Creatures - Visual Encyclopedia

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DK Delhi

Senior Editor Sreshtha Bhattacharya

Written by Derek Harvey

SCALES AND SIZES

Predators that target large prey up to the

Petromyzon marinus SIZE: Up to 35.4 in (90 cm) long

DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters of

Dunkleosteus, side view

Massive, sharp jaws had the

The armor-plated placoderms were

to dominate the oceans before the

an early top predator from the Europe, and northern Africa

Devonian Period (419–358 mya). DIET: Fish and large invertebrates,

The remarkable “spine brush”

sharks had this structure may mean

SIZE: Up to 6.6 ft (2 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Oceans and seas

DIET: Probably fish and crustaceans

PREHISTORIC EEL-LIKE This shark’s

The long-bodied fossils of this fish show that

to have lived in swampy areas rather than

SIZE: Up to 11.8 in (30 cm) long

Spine projecting from back of head

SIZE: Up to 3.3 ft (1 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Swamps, lakes, and

Large pectoral fin DIET: Probably fish and

Sharp spine in front of

Cutting and grinding

SIZE: Up to 6.6 ft (2 m) long

Torpedo-shaped body DISTRIBUTION: Shallow seas and

DIET: Probably fish and

Seven gill slits

SIZE: Up to 4.6 ft (1.4 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Coastal waters of

and Mediterranean Sea

DIET: Fish (including other small

Single dorsal fin near

This is one of the

The biggest living primeval shark, the DATA FILE

by blooms of plankton, grabbing the Mediterranean Sea

occasional seal along the way. DIET: Fish (including other

Unlike other living primeval sharks, DATA FILE

to watch for prey, such as seals, Africa, Asia, and Australasia

closer to shore. DIET: Fish (including other sharks),

The frilled shark resembles a

This prehistoric relative of living

on soft-bodied prey, such as squid.

SIZE: Up to 6.5 ft (2 m) long

DIET: Fish, including other sharks,

Upper jaw fixed to SIZE: Probably up to 13.1 ft

DISTRIBUTION: Oceans and seas

DIET: Probably soft-bodied prey,

Body covered in tiny scales

Even though this fish swam in the

changed very little in more than

SIZE: Up to 11.8 in (30 cm) long

DISTRIBUTION: Oceans and seas

Each fin was supported by DIET: Probably small marine

SIZE: Up to 3.3 ft (1 m) long

DISTRIBUTION: Oceans and seas

DIET: Probably hard-shelled

Big pectoral fins

Most chimaeras are deep-water fish,