Silly
art.
Studies on the behaviour
of sharks have only recently been carried out leading
to little information on the subject, although this is
changing. The classic view of the shark is that of a solitary
hunter, ranging the oceans in search of food; however,
this is only true for a few species, with most living
far more sedentary, benthic lives. Even solitary sharks
meet for breeding or on rich hunting grounds, which may
lead them to cover thousands of miles in a year. Migration
patterns in sharks may be even more complex than in birds,
with many sharks covering entire ocean basins.
Unlike bony fish, sharks have a complex dermal corset
made of flexible collagenous fibres and arranged as a
helical network surrounding their body. This works as
an outer skeleton, providing attachment for their swimming
muscles and thus saving energy. Their dermal teeth give
them hydrodynamic advantages as they reduce turbulence
when swimming... |
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