Classification and Taxonomy A good place to start when studying any life
form at all is the classification and taxonomy.
This allows us to place the creature in a group with other similar organisms based on
common characteristics and traits, allowing us to have an easier time understanding it.
Scientifically speaking, the great white shark falls into Kingdom Animalia.
This is a no-brainer since they are multicellular organisms/ that exhibit: limited lifetime
growth, locomotory abilities, lack of a cell wall, and do not contain chlorophyll.
Going down further, they belong to the Phylum Chordata, which is distinguished by five major
characteristics.
They include a notochord, a dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal
slits, and a post-anal tail.
These are anatomical structures that give the shark its general build.
This aside, great white sharks belong to the class Chondrichthyes.
The distinguishing feature of creatures in this class is that they have a skeletal system
composed of cartilage.
Cartilage differs from bone/ in that it is smooth, elastic tissue.
However, given that it has elastic properties, it is rather tough and resilient, capable
of supporting other tissues and organs of the shark/ while offering protection from
external force.
Great white sharks also belong to the family Lamnidae.
Though Lamnidae was once a large family, there are only five known species left in the family.
The family Lamnidae is known for members with large size, pointed snouts, large gill openings,
and spindle-shaped bodies.
Other than great white sharks, Mackerel fish, mako sharks, porbeagle, and salmon sharks
are also found within this family.
Coming down to the genus, great white sharks belong to the genus Carcharodon.
Although they are the only member of the genus, some paleontologists argue that Megalodon,
the supermassive, multi-toothed now-extinct sea creature, also belonged to the same genus.
The species name of the great white shark is Carcharodon carcharias.
Although there are various synonyms for this scientific name, this is the most used and
often referenced by the scientific community.
The genus name, Carcharodon, literally means jagged tooth.
The creature was first described and classified by a Swedish Naturalist, who is regarded as
the forefather of modern taxonomy.
Naming History Scientific classification aside, the great
white shark also has a large number of common names.
It would be folly to go through all these names one by one/ since the species is ancient
and widely distributed, meaning that so many different societies, before the rise of scientific
nomenclature, have had encounters with these sharks/ and have granted them different names
and different mythologies.
The three most common names for the great white shark are “the white pointer,” “the
great white,” and “the white shark.”
Interestingly, all of these have to do with its appearance.
The white pointer name/ is in reference to the shark’s pointed snout/ and is largely
Australian in origin.
The other two names have to do with the creature’s white underbelly, which is an evolutionary
adaptation that helps it hunt.
We’ll talk more on this in a bit.
Distribution and Habitat The great white shark can be found in coastal
waters all around the world, provided the temperature falls within a range of 54 to
75 Fahrenheit.
They have high concentrations in the waters of the United States, South Africa, Japan,
Oceania, Chile, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Although the great white shark is thought to be a coastal species/ or epipelagic fish,
certain members have been recorded at depths of 3,900 feet beneath the open sea surface.
In addition, they are capable of migrating long distances.
A study was performed by tracking these creatures, and it was observed that they migrated from
the waters of South Africa to Australia and back.
It was a round trip with a total distance of 12,000 miles, taken in under nine months.
Anatomy, Appearance, and Size Although we have made some allusions to the
great white shark’s appearance throughout this video so far, it’s time to get into
the specifics.
In general, the great white shark has an oval body shape, which tapers into a pointed snout
at the head region.
The snout is quite prominent and robust.
Unlike other fish, the upper and lower lobes of the tail fin/ are the same size.
This is a trait observed in certain species of mackerel as well.
They also have a prominent, pointed dorsal fin.
This is one of the great white shark’s most distinguishing features/ as it’s the first
part of the shark to be visible/ whenever the creature is hunting near the surface.
Great white sharks also exhibit countershading.
This is a physical characteristic in which the dorsal area is dark grey, in contrast
to the white underside.
This physical characteristic allows these great whites to hunt without being detected.
See, when the shark is observed from above, its dark underside blends in with the darkness
of the sea bottom, making it hard to pick out.
And the same principle applies when it is observed from below since the white underbelly
will blend into the sun-brightened waters.
Great white sharks usually exhibit sexual dimorphism, meaning that males and females
of the same species have different appearances.
However, these differences aren’t too crazy/ and typically express themselves in terms
of the creature’s dimensions.
Sexual dimorphism usually occurs because females have a slightly different way of life than
males.
Since the duties of childbearing fall to the females, they need extra organs to accommodate
for those duties.
They also need physical adaptations that help them hunt/ and take better care of themselves.
Male great white sharks typically average a length/ between 11 feet to 13 feet.
For females, the figure is 15 feet to 16 feet.
That’s about half the length of a bus.
Females are also heavier than males, weighing between 1,500 pounds to 2,450 pounds.
As for the males, their weight typically falls between 1,151 pounds to 1,700 pounds.
Even though these are official figures, there are many reports about encounters with supermassive
great white sharks.
These reports have been hard to confirm/ since they mostly originate from eyewitness testimony,
with no official recordings made.
However, these reports are interesting nonetheless/ since they suggest that there may be much
we don’t know about these sharks.
Two of such reports come from the 1870s and 1930s, in which great white sharks of sizes
36 feet and 37 feet respectively/ were captured in Australia and Canada.
Maybe these were misidentified creatures.
Maybe they were extremely large great whites.
Either way, the search for bigger members of these creatures continues.
Diet, Feeding Behavior and Adaptations Now comes an extremely important point.
What do great white sharks like to eat?
If you answered “man-flesh,” you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong.
However, these sharks, being apex predators, have such a large and diverse palette.
They eat just about anything/ and have been known to eat objects they can’t even digest.
The great white shark’s preference for human meat/ is a myth/ that has been perpetuated
by popular media.
The myth has been sustained particularly by the 1975 movie Jaws, which started a pandemic
of mass hysteria against sharks, causing them to be hunted down in their numbers.
Great white sharks are carnivorous/ and tend to prey on other fish.
Their most popular meals include tuna, rays, other sharks, dolphins, porpoises, whales,
fur seals, sea lions, seals, sea turtles, sea otters, and sea birds.
Great white sharks are very potent hunters/ and can exert a powerful bite force.
Research conducted by a team of scientists in 2008/ revealed that a shark weighing 7,328
pounds could exert 4,095 pounds of force.
In addition to having great vision and an amazing sense of smell, sharks have also evolved
a whole new sense to help them find prey.
This sense allows them to detect the electromagnetic energy/ emanating from other animals, allowing
them to pinpoint their location.
This sense is supported by a special organ known as the ampullae of Lorenzini.
Their ability to detect electromagnetic activity is so sensitive/ that they can detect variations
of half of a billionth of a volt.
They can also detect the heartbeat of creatures close to them/ by observing the electric currents
that help the heart to move.
Other facts Great white sharks are also excellent at regulating
their temperatures.
They keep their core temperature/ just a bit warmer than the surrounding temperature.
This allows them to swim fast/ and outrun their prey.
This aside, they also have remarkable immune systems.
In fact, their immune systems are so amazing/ that it was thought for a long time/ that
these creatures had the cure to AIDS.
They are immune to so many diseases.
They also exhibit immunity to heavy metal poisoning.
Great white sharks are social creatures.
They typically form groups with other members of their species, known as a school or shoal.
These shoals allow them to hunt and protect themselves with more efficiency.
These sharks breach the surface of the ocean from time to time.
There are various reasons why marine animals do this.
Some marine animals are mammals/ and need to return to the surface to breathe air.
But for great white sharks, these creatures typically breach the surface to hunt.
Being Apex Predators, great whites do not have much competition within the animal creatures.
However, they have been known to get quite boisterous with killer whales.
Great white sharks reach sexual maturity at age 26 for males and age 33 for females.
They also have a lifespan upwards of 70 years.
Females have live births, giving birth to between 4 and 7 individuals.
However, when these pups are born, they have a size between 4 and 5 feet.
… Sharks are very interesting creatures.
Although certain incidents with humans have been recorded and continue to be recorded,
humans still pose way more of a threat to them.
In fact, certain governments undergo shark culling exercises/ to prevent the incidence
of shark attacks.
Because of this, the species has been classified as vulnerable by animal conservation groups.
In recent times, the reputation of the great white has been turning around.
People are learning how to avoid appearing like prey, making incidences of shark attacks
low.
Information campaigns like “shark week” have also been started to provide appropriate
education on these creatures.
All this has caused increased interest in these creatures, to the point where certain
tourists/ actively seek out shark sightings.
Would you rather cage dive to see the Great White shark or swim with Orca’s?