The first time I saw Jaws was a life-changing experience. I stopped taking baths (and I don’t think I am the only one).
So, when I found out about a man who has found (and continues to find) new sharks, I jumped in….to the story, not the ocean.
Apparently, Dave Ebert travels to Taiwan because of a certain fish market. That market has dished him at least 10 new sharks, not yet documented.
However, what’s really weird to me is that sharks have been around way longer than crocodilians. They have outlived dinosaurs. Sharks have been around for 450 million years.
Here are some of my personal favorite sharks…
The Frilled Shark
I think all shark lovers know about the rare —supposedly extinct— frilled shark caught in Japan. Being a bottom feeder, it’s rather small and has a long body. These sharks may be the closest to their prehistoric roots, although the rare one (confirmed a female) that was observed was in shallow water is not a great example, because she was obviously sick. A deep sea creature will not venture into shallows unless there is something wrong.
Anyway, this rare find is my personal favorite. Researchers were able to observe her in a controlled environment for a few hours before she died.
The Greenland Shark
I actually didn’t know about the Greenland Shark until recently, but this shark has quickly become my favorite. This particular shark can live in water that is (by human standards) horrifyingly cold, including northern fresh water lakes. It’s rare that sharks will survive in fresh water (though it’s not unheard of), but the Greenland Shark is commonly associated with deep, deep, deep (and cold) lakes, and arctic oceans. Because of the cold temperatures they live in, they are some of the slowest sharks recorded. But don’t let that fool you—Inuit legends tell tales of the shark devouring kayakers whole! Yet, since they live so deep, modern sightings are rare.
The Hammerhead
Hammerheads have always—and still do—fascinate me. Before Jaws, the name “hammerhead” made me think they were the worst of the bunch. But, turns out, the hammer head is not the most likely to swim up and take a taste. The fear comes from their head shape: the flat, wide-eyed skull.
When I think of the hammerhead, I think of the flounder. And not Flounder from “The Little Mermaid”…an actual flounder. They have evolved to camouflage themselves with respect to both color and shape. The flounder live flat on the sea-bed, with two protruding eyes bulging out.
The shape of the hammerhead is still…well…debated. The intimidating flat face could be for the aerodynamics of the sea, or an outdated, evolutionary trait.
The Bull Shark
The bull shark has kept me from swimming in rivers from an early age. It’s more aggressive than the Great White, and it can swim up aqueducts for miles. It is known for its aggressive nature, even though it matures to be smaller than the great white. There are accounts of bull sharks attacking people in fresh water since the nineteenth century. What the bull shark has (and whites don’t) is an ability to store salt that is already present in their body. The bull shark may be smaller, but it is actually responsible for more attacks on humans than the great white shark.
Back To Dave Ebert
He has named species of known sharks, and found new ones: including the southern african frilled shark. And, even today, he continues to visit his favorite fish market in Taiwan to see if he spot something new.
Ebert has identified at least 24 types of sharks, many of them uncanny to what we think a shark is. They don’t have to be big. They don’t have to be aggressive. But they are an evolutionary wonder.
I guess… size doesn’t matter?
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Top Five Coolest Shark Species
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