Stats

Lifespan: 30-35 yrs
Size: Large
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Nocturnal
Social: School
Biome: Tropical ocean
Range: Worldwide
Movement: Swimming
Breeding: Live Birth
Defense: Speed
Status: Critically Endangered

About

A coastal pelagic shark whose flattened, T-shaped head (cephalofoil) carries widely spaced eyes and electroreceptors; juveniles famously form schools hundreds strong over offshore seamounts.

Life cycle

1.
newborn pup
A pup is born free-swimming and fully formed, hunting on its own from the first day.
2.
juvenile
A juvenile shark patrols shallow nursery waters, taking small fish and avoiding larger predators.
3.
subadult
A near-adult shark moves to deeper water and takes larger prey, approaching mature size.
4.
adult
Fully grown and ranging widely.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Sphyrnidae
Genus: Sphyrna
Species: Sphyrna lewini