Waubonsee Community College

Sharks, the animal answer guide, Gene Helfman and George H. Burgess

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-237) and index

illustrationsmaps

index present

non fiction

Sharks

bibliography

853435912

Gene Helfman and George H. Burgess

the animal answer guide

Answering every conceivable question about sharks, authors Gene Helfman and George H. Burgess describe the fascinating biology, behavior, diversity (there are more than 1,000 species worldwide), and cultural importance of sharks, their close relationship to skates and rays, and their critical role in healthy ecosystems. Helfman and Burgess take readers on a round-the-world tour of shark habitats, which include oceans as well as lakes and even rivers (as far up the Mississippi as St. Louis). They describe huge, ferocious predators like (Great) White and Tiger sharks and species such as Basking and Whale sharks that feed on microscopic prey yet can grow to lengths of more than 40 feet. The mysterious and powerful Greenland shark, the authors explain, reaches a weight of 2,200 pounds on a diet of seal flesh. Small (less than 2-foot long) Cookiecutter sharks attack other sharks and even take a chunk out of the occasional swimmer. Despite our natural fascination with sharks, we have become their worst enemy. Many shark species are in serious decline and a number are threatened with extinction as a result of overfishing and persecution. Sharks: The Animal Answer Guide presents a perfect mix of current science, history, anthropology, intriguing facts, and gripping photographs. Whether your fascination with sharks stems from fear or curiosity, your knowledge of these animals will improve immensely when you consult this book

1. Introducing sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras -- What is this book about? -- What are sharks and how are they classified? -- How many kinds of sharks are there? -- How did sharks get their name? -- Where do sharks live? -- When did sharks evolve? -- What are the largest and smallest sharks alive today? -- What is the fastest shark? -- What is the largest shark that ever lived? -- Where can I find fossil shark teeth? -- How can you tell whether a fossil shark lived in a river, a lake, or an ocean? -- Why are sharks important? -- Why should people care about sharks? -- 2. Form and function of sharks -- What is the metabolism of a shark? -- Are sharks cold-blooded or warm-blooded? -- What kind of teeth do sharks have? -- How many teeth does a shark have during its lifetime? -- Do a shark's teeth change during its life? -- What is the skeleton of a shark made of? -- Does a shark have senses like ours? -- How good is a shark's sense of smell? -- How well can sharks hear? -- How well can sharks see? -- Can sharks see color? -- How do sharks detect electric fields? -- Do sharks sleep? -- Do sharks have scales like other fishes? -- How do sharks breathe under water? -- Must a shark keep swimming to breathe? -- How do sharks swim? -- How do a shark's fins function during swimming? -- How long can a shark live out of water? -- Why do hammerhead sharks have such strange heads? -- What kind of brains do sharks have? -- How large is a shark's brain? -- 3. Shark colors -- Why are so many sharks dark on top and light on the bottom? -- Which sharks aren't countershaded? -- Are any sharks colorful? -- Are any sharks colorless? -- What causes the different colors of sharks? -- Is there a reason for the color patterns of sharks? -- What color are a shark's eyes? -- Do a shark's colors change as it grows? -- Do a shark's colors change at different times of the day or in different seasons? -- Is there much geographic variation in the color of a shark species? -- 4. Shark behavior -- Are sharks social? -- Do sharks form schools? -- Can sharks tell one another apart? -- Do sharks fight? -- Are any sharks territorial? -- Do sharks socialize with other kinds of animals? -- Why do sharks swim at the surface with their dorsal fins sticking out? -- How smart are sharks? -- Do sharks use tools? -- Do sharks play? -- Do sharks talk? -- What is "tonic immobility"? -- 5. Shark ecology -- Do sharks migrate? -- How do sharks navigate? -- How many shark species live in rivers and lakes? -- How far down in the ocean do sharks live? -- Which geographic regions have the most species of sharks? -- Which sharks are most or least abundant? -- When during the day are sharks most active? -- How do sharks survive the winter? -- How do sharks survive droughts? -- Are there sharks in the desert? -- Do sharks have any enemies other than humans? -- How do sharks avoid predators? -- Do sharks get sick? -- Do sharks have parasites? -- How can you tell if a shark is sick? -- Are sharks good for the environment? --6. Reproduction and development -- How do sharks reproduce? -- Do sharks lay eggs or do they give birth to live young? -- How long do female sharks hold young in their body? -- How long does it take for a baby shark to hatch from an egg case? -- Where do sharks lay their egg cases or give birth? -- Do sharks give birth or lay their egg cases at the same times and places every year? -- How many young does a mother shark produce? -- How often do sharks reproduce? -- What is a baby shark called? -- Are all the baby sharks in a mother full siblings? -- Do sharks care for their young? -- How is the sex of a shark determined? -- Can sharks reproduce asexually? -- Is there such a thing as a hybrid shark? -- Do male and female sharks live together? -- At what size and age do sharks mature? -- How long do sharks live? -- How fast do sharks grow? -- How can you tell the age of a shark? -- 7. Foods and feeding -- What do sharks eat? -- How do sharks find food? -- How do sharks catch their prey? -- When do sharks feed most? -- How often must sharks feed? -- Do sharks chew their food? -- How do sharks eat hard-shelled animals? -- Do sharks store their food? -- Must a shark turn on its back to feed? -- Do sharks cooperate with one another to feed? -- 8. Sharks and humans -- Do sharks make good pets? -- What is the best way to take care of a pet shark? -- Are any medicines made from sharks? -- Do sharks feel pain? -- What should I do if I find an injured shark? -- What should I do if I find a shark that looks diseased? -- How can I see sharks in the wild? -- How can I see sharks in captivity? -- 9. Shark problems (from a human's viewpoint) -- Are some sharks pests? -- Can there be too many sharks in an area? -- Are sharks dangerous to people? -- Why do sharks attack people? -- How likely are shark attacks? -- Can scientists estimate the size and species of a shark from bite marks? -- How can sharks be repelled? -- Do sharks have diseases and are they contagious? -- Is it safe to eat sharks? -- What should I do if I'm attacked or injured by a shark? -- 10. Human problems (from a shark's viewpoint) -- Are any sharks endangered? -- Will sharks be affected by global warming? -- Are sharks affected by pollution? -- How are sharks affected by litter? -- How do people catch sharks? -- Why do people hunt sharks? -- How are shark fisheries managed? -- What is bycatch and can it be reduced? -- What is finning? -- Is there such a thing as shark leather? -- Is there such a thing as shark jewelry? -- What other parts of sharks are used by humans? -- Are boats dangerous for sharks? -- What can an ordinary citizen do to help sharks? -- 11. Sharks in stories, media, and literature -- What roles do sharks play in religion and mythology? -- What roles do sharks play in Western religions? -- Did early philosophers and naturalists mention sharks in their writings? -- What roles do sharks play in various cultures? -- What roles do sharks play in popular culture? -- What roles have sharks played in art and literature? -- 12. "Sharkology" -- Who studies sharks? -- Can anyone study sharks? -- Which species are best known? -- Which species are least known? -- How do scientists tell sharks apart? -- How do scientists study the movements of large sharks? -- Appendix A. Sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras of the world -- Appendix B. Organizations that promote the study and conservation of sharks -- Appendix C. Websites that provide useful and accurate information on sharks