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WHITE SHARK
Carcharodon carcharias
SIZE
To about 21 ft (6.4 m).
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
- Teeth large, triangular, serrated
- Snout conical
- First dorsal fin large, triangular
- Color leaden-white to brown or black above, shading to gray-white below
- Caudal fin lunate with single keel on caudal peduncle
DISTRIBUTION
Newfoundland, Canada, and Gulf of St. Lawrence to FL, Cuba, Bahamas, and Gulf of Mexico. Uncommon throughout its range.
HABITAT
Coastal and offshore along continental shelf and islands.
SIMILAR SPECIES
Basking shark attains larger maximum size (around 32 ft (9.8 m)); has gill slits nearly encircling head. Shortfin mako, longfin mako, and porbeagle have bladelike, smooth-edged teeth, different coloration; attain smaller maximum size. Porbeagle has secondary keels on caudal fin.
MORE INFORMATION
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Text descriptions taken from Guide to Sharks, Tunas, & Billfishes of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico |
White shark release and recapture maps
White length-weight relationship
One of the smallest and one of the largest white sharks APP staff has examined
Other white shark photographs
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(File Modified Feb. 14 2013)
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