Shark Anatomy

The Incredible Shark Anatomy

Cartilage instead of Bones

All sharks have cartilage for their skeleton rather than bones. This is very different from humans and most types of animals. The fact that they have this cartilage though is what allows them to move at unbelievable speeds through the water. It also allows them to use their gills to breath underwater just like fish do. That is why sharks don’t have to surface for water like dolphins and whales do.

Denticles

Since sharks don’t have bones they rely on denticles to help them keep the right shape. They are found all over the body of every species of shark out there. They help make it easier to swim because the shark can reserve energy. They also serve as a type of protection from various elements in the water. The skin is very rough though even though can’t tell unless you look at it very closely.

Jaw & Teeth

Sharks don’t have a jaw that is attached to their skull. Instead it moves as separate pieces. The upper and the lower jaw can work on their own without the other moving. This allows the shark to have a very powerful pull and to be able to latch onto what it wants fiercely.

Sharks have many rows of teeth, up to 15 rows for the biggest sharks. They are extremely shark as most sharks are meat eaters. They can rip through meat and bones instantly without any struggle at all. Sharks loose their teeth all the time and one from the rows behind it will move into that position so they are always geared with a full army of them to attack. They can lose their front rows of teeth every couple of weeks to a month. It is estimated a shark will go through 20,000 teeth in its lifetime.

Liver

Just like humans and many other types of animals sharks have a liver. They use theirs differently though. They are able to store oils in it for a very long time. The more oil they store the less often they have to eat. They are able to thrive on what has been reserved so it can be weeks, months, or even a year before they have to feed again. Once the level of oil in the liver gets low though the hunt is on. A shark never wants to deplete what is stored in the liver.

Tail

Each species of shark has a unique design of tail. This has to do with the overall size of the shark as well as what the purpose of the tail is. In many instances the tail allows the shark to move very fast in the water. Other times it is to help balance the movements of the shark so that they can glide along gracefully.

Fins

All species of sharks have fins as well. They have two sets of them that are matching pairs. They help them to move along in the water as well as to pick up vibrations that are taking place. There is a dorsal fin on the back, sometimes two of them depending on the species, that helps with balancing. The anal fin on the underside of the shark serves the same purpose.

It is often said that the anatomy of an airplane is very similar to that of a shark. When you visualize this in your mind you can see it is very true. There is a tail and the wings to help balance everything and to give it speed. While there is no proof that the dynamic design of an airplane was developed from the shark it does make sense. After all they have been able to thrive with that body design for millions of years.