Species group · Cartilaginous fish

Sharks

WAnimals has 26 species of shark, spread across 16 families (Alopiidae, Carcharhinidae, Cetorhinidae, Chlamydoselachidae, Dalatiidae, Etmopteridae, Ginglymostomatidae, Heterodontidae, Hexanchidae, Megachasmidae, Mitsukurinidae, Orectolobidae, Oxynotidae, Rhincodontidae, Somniosidae, Sphyrnidae).

26 species

16 families

173 countries

180 parks

Weight: 300 g – 20 t

All 26 species of sharks on WAnimals

Each one has its own full profile. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.

Conservation status

8 Least Concern6 Vulnerable5 Endangered4 Near Threatened3 Critically Endangered

14 species in this group are in a threatened category according to the IUCN.

Where they live

Recorded in 173 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:

Where to see them

Did you know…?

It can measure up to 18 metres long.
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Every shark has a unique pattern of spots.
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Despite its size, it feeds mainly on plankton.
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It forms large schools of hundreds around seamounts.
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While mating, the pair sink slowly through the water.
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Stingray spines have been found lodged in its own stomach.
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It can survive and breed in entirely fresh water.
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It has been recorded more than 4,000 km up the Amazon.
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