The shortfin mako is considered the fastest shark in the world, able to reach burst swimming speeds of up to 43 mph. Credit: Matthew D Potenski / The Pew Charitable Trusts via AP Nine out of 10 times that’s what people see and think they’re white sharks, but they don’t really have teeth.” Shortfin mako This undated photo made available by The Pew Charitable Trusts shows the mako shark swimming in the Atlantic Ocean off Rhode Island. “They’re filter feeders, so they just swim around with their mouths open, and sometimes they’ll come super close to shore. ![]() “They come here every year to feed on very specific types of crustaceans and copepods,” Sulikowski said. They’re often seen traveling and feeding near the water’s surface, which gave rise to their common name “basking,” as in “basking in the sun.” Using bristle-like structures called gill rakers, located in the back of their throat, they filter zooplankton (small organisms) out of the water to consume. However, adults have been recorded at lengths of over 40 feet, weighing close to 19 tons, according to the New England Basking Shark Project, a community sighting network for the species sponsored by the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance. A mature shark of this species is typically 20 to 28 feet in length. The shark’s Latin name, Cetorhinus maximus, translates to “big-nosed sea monster,” an apt description. The basking shark is the second largest fish in the world and the largest shark that lives in the waters off New England. Credit: Chris Gotschalk / Wikimedia public domain It’s known as Maine’s most abundant shark.īasking shark Credit: A basking shark swims by two snorkelers. Their common name is a nod to their many dog-like qualities, Sulikowski said, including their ferocious pursuit of prey and their tendency to travel in giant packs. Like most of Maine’s sharks, dogfish migrate up to Maine when the water warms in the summer, then return south for the winter. Currently, there’s little consumer demand for this animal’s meat in the states, but in Europe, it’s commonly used in “fish and chips” dishes. In the United States, its fishery extends from Florida to Maine. Spiny dogfish are also often consumed by people. It feeds primarily on crustaceans, jellyfish, squid and schooling fish, and is often preyed upon by large fish such as red hake and cod, as well as larger sharks and seals, according to information on the species provided by NOAA Fisheries. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Ī relatively small shark, the Atlantic spiny dogfish grows up to 4 feet long, with a slim, gray body sporting distinct white spots. Spiny dogfish Public domain image from the U.S. Here are the eight sharks that have been documented off the coast of Maine, all unique in appearance and behavior. ![]() ![]() ![]() But the risk of someone who is swimming or doing things for recreation is very low.” “There are sharks that frequent Maine waters that are large and they’re wild animals, so they should be respected for that. “Any large shark is potentially a hazard to people, say if you’re taking a hook out of its mouth or you’re feeding them,” said John Mandelman, vice president and chief scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium. Shark attacks are extremely rare, Sulikowski said. Yet the sharks found off the coast of Maine don’t usually come into contact with people or pose any sort of threat.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |