Sharks Chimaeras Skates and Rays: Chondrichthyes

Physical characteristics: The average length of white sharks is 18 feet (5.5 meters). White sharks are white on the belly and gray-to-bluish on the back and sides. The first dorsal fin is much larger than the second, and the tail fin is large and crescent shaped. The pectoral fins have black tips. White sharks have a cone-shaped snout, large black eyes, and large triangular teeth with sawlike edges.

Geographic range: White sharks live worldwide but are most common off the coasts of California, Australia, and South Africa.

Habitat: White sharks cruise through relatively shallow waters near the surface or close to the bottom. They can travel long distances in open water.

Diet: White sharks feed on bony fishes, other sharks, sea turtles, seals, whale carcasses, and even sea birds resting on the surface.

Great white sharks are capable of great bursts of speed and can leap completely out of the water. (CORBIS. Reproduced by permission.)

Behavior and reproduction: White sharks are solitary (SA-le-TER-ee) and nomadic (no-MAE-dihk). They move from place to place alone without settling on a fixed home. They are capable of great bursts of speed and can leap completely out of the water. The young develop inside the female. The young measure 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) at birth and can weigh as much as 55 pounds (25 kilograms).

White sharks and people: People pay a great deal of money to watch white sharks from the protection of a submerged cage.

Conservation status: The IUCN lists white sharks as Vulnerable, which means they are facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. ∎