Search results
- The scientific genus name Carcharodon literally means "jagged tooth", a reference to the large serrations that appear in the shark's teeth. It is a portmanteau of two Ancient Greek words: the prefix carchar- is derived from κάρχαρος (kárkharos), which means "jagged" or "sharp".
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_white_shark
People also ask
When did sharks come into existence?
How did sharks get their names?
Who was the first ancestor of a shark?
How long have Sharks been in the ocean?
How have sharks evolved over the past 400 million years?
How did Sharks evolve?
Aug 12, 2014 · A mere six hundred years ago, sharks were known only by the bizarre personas recounted by animated sailors. And even when more accurate depictions and accounts began to circulate, the world was...
Sharks have survived five mass extinctions. Discover what the first sharks were, when the megalodon first appeared, and how this group of fishes changed over 450 million years.
- The Silurian Era: The First Sharks
- Early Devonian Era: Shark Evolution Begins
- Late Devonian Era: The First Modern Shark
- The Carboniferous Era: The Golden Age of Sharks
- The Jurassic Era: The Rise of Modern Sharks
- Cretaceous Period: Recognizable Sharks
- The Early Cenozoic Era: Enter The Megalodon
- The Modern Cenozoic: Today’S Shark
- The Future: Uncertainty
450 million years ago, during the Silurian period, sharks first began developing as a unique species. During that time, the ocean was filled with a variety of bony fish. One of these fish, the Acanthodian, was the very first ancestor of the modern shark. Acanthodians, also called “spiny sharks,” were the first fish to not only take on the physical ...
About 50 millions years of after the SIlurian Era, the Devonian Era began. This is when the very first, fully developed shark, the Leonodus Shark, evolved. Very little is known about the Leonodus Shark. However, the fossil remains of its two-pronged teeth lead scientists to believe that it was about 16 inches long, with an eel-like body and lived i...
During the late Devonian Era, the first shark in its modern incarnation appeared, the Cladoselache. The Cladoselache differed from its eel-like ancestors, because it’s body looked more like what a modern shark looks like. It was six feet long, with a streamlined body, 5-7 gill slits, and dorsal fins. The main differences between the Cladoselache an...
The Carboniferous Era began around 360 million years ago. It was during this time that sharks dominated the oceans. Sharks also split into many subspecies including rays, skates, and chimaeras. Sharks had incredibly diverse physiognomy during the Carboniferous age. Some of the most unique species of sharks that ever existed lived during this era. S...
The Jurassic Era began around 200 million years ago, during this time 12 new families of sharks appeared. These sharks were the predecessors of the sharks that exist today. During the Jurassic Era, sharks began to evolve flexible and protruding jaws so they could attack and eat larger prey. They also developed tail fins that allowed them to swim fa...
During the Cretaceous Era, 145 to 65 million years ago, many of the sharks still alive today developed. Deep sea sharks like the Goblin Shark or the Frilled Shark, originated during the Cretaceous Era. Filter feeders like the Whale Shark, the Basking Shark, and the megamouth shark first appeared. The Cretaceous was also the time period when Lamnida...
During the Cenozoic period, about 60 million years ago, the most famous prehistoric shark evolved, one that defined sharks as a ruthless, efficient, apex predators: The Megalodon. Megalodon Shark facts are incredible. The Megalodon was the biggest ocean predator to ever exist, reaching a whopping 65 feet in length and weighing over 30 tons. This te...
Most of the sharks on the planet have developed in the Cenozoic era, except for the truly ancient sharks from the Cretaceous period. The newest shark species to enter the water is the Hammerhead Shark. Hammerhead Shark evolution only dates back about 20 million years. Currently there are around 440 species of sharkswimming in our oceans, however ev...
Sharks have been on the planet for 450 million years and have survived all 5 mass extinctions. However, all 440 species of sharks are currently under threat from humans. 100 million sharks are killed every year due to human activity, and if we do not stop this brutal massacre of sharks, then they will not survive into the future. Plus if we kill of...
An ancestor of the modern-day carpet sharks evolved into the whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) we see today, while two ancient ancestors of the mackerel sharks evolved into basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) and megamouth sharks (Megachasma pelagios).
Most scientists believe that sharks came into existence around 400 million years ago. That's 200 million years before the dinosaurs! It's thought that they descended from a small leaf-shaped fish that had no eyes, fins or bones. These fish then evolved into the 2 main groups of fish seen today.
Stingrays get their name from the venomous spines on their long, whiplike tails. They are not aggressive, but they may try to protect themselves if stepped on. Stingrays give birth to live young.
Early Devonian and Acanthodians. During the early Devonian period, sharks began to diversify and evolve into various forms. One group of early sharks were the Acanthodians, which are now extinct. Acanthodians had spiny fins and resembled modern-day sharks in many ways. Carboniferous Period and Stethacanthus.
