Sharks are one of the most feared carnivores in the sea. There are 365 species of of sharks in the sea as we know today. All sharks are carnivores. Most of them eat live fish, including other sharks. A shark's most common natural enemy is an another shark. Most sharks eat their prey whole, or they tear off large chunks of the bodies. Some sharks crush their prey. Others take out small pieces off flesh from large fish. Sharks also feed on dead or dying animals. Sharks have the reputation of attacking human beings. But less than 100 shark attacks a year are reported throughout the world. Sharks are most common in warm seas and oceans. Whale sharks, are the largest shark known to man. Sharks are classified in the order Selachii, which belongs to a larger class of fish called Elasmobranchi. The earliest shark-like vertebrate fossils are from the Devonian Period of the Paleozoic Era. Some kinds of sharks live in the depths of the ocean. The smallest streamlined, black and white shark of the genus Squaliolus can grow to be up to 6 inches long and the female can grow to be up to 8 inches. They can grow up to 40 feet long. They are also known to weigh over 15 tons. The smallest sharks known at a full stage of growth may measure about 6 inches long and weigh about 1 ounce.Sharks live in many places throughout the ocean. Some sharks are known to be found near the surface of the water because the temperature of the water is warmer. Yet, some sharks are known to dwell on the bottom of the ocean. These sharks are sometimes referred to as bottom dwellers. A few species of sharks enter rivers and lakes where they can move to the seas and oceans easily. Sharks have a boneless skeleton made of a substance called cartilage. Most species of sharks have a rounded body, shaped somewhat like a torpedo. This type of flexible body makes their swimming in oceans and strong currents much easier. Their bodies are also shaped somewhat like a torpedo to give th...
