Sharks of South Carolina Waters Information obtained from: Daniel C. Abel SC Science Council 2006 Fall Conference Myrtle Beach

Recommended Reading

Sharks in Fine Art Copley’s Watson and the Shark Homer’s Gulf Stream

Sharks in Music Mack the Knife Performed by Louis Armstrong Oh, the shark has pretty teeth, dear, And he shows them a pearly white. Just a jack-knife has Mack he, dear, And he keeps it out of sight. When the shark bites with his teeth, dear; Scarlet billows start to spread…

Sharks in Literature He was a very big Mako shark, built to swim as fast as the fastest fish in the sea and everything about him was beautiful except his jaws. His back was as blue as a swordfish's and his belly was silver and his hide was smooth and handsome. He was built as a swordfish except for his huge jaws, which were tight shut now as he swam fast, just under the surface with his high dorsal fin knifing through the water without wavering. …This was a fish built to feed on all the fishes in the sea, that were so fast and strong and well armed that they had no other enemy. Now he speeded up as he smelled the fresher scent and his blue dorsal fin cut the water

Sharks in the Movies

Sharks in Magazines

Sharks in Tabloids

Sharks and Cancer Source:

Internet Hoaxes

The Composite Image The Original Photographs Reference:

“You are more likely to be struck by lighting than to be attacked by a shark 1.” from a CCU term paper 1 The student is basically correct. Lighting (falling fixtures, glare, electrocution) kills more people annually than sharks do. Light Fixture Kills Motorist -- Indiana Star 1/3/2002

Skeleton is Composed of Cartilage Skeleton of a shark Skeleton of a bony fish

Shark have gill slits

A caudal fin with an expanded upper lobe

Thresher Sharks

Sharks Use Internal Fertilization Claspers

Spiral valve intestine

Shark Senses

What Threatens Shark Populations? Commercial fisheries: targeted and bycatch Photos Courtesy of Greenpeace

Additional Threats Recreational/sport fishing

Sharks Are Extremely Vulnerable Because They: ~Are Slow Growing ~Mature Late in Life ~Produce Relatively Small Litters ~Have a Long Reproductive Cycle ~Often Have Specific Mating and Nursery Areas ~Are Highly Migratory

IUCN (World Conservation Union) RED LIST (2004) 37 species (sharks and rays) in the Vulnerable category, 19 in Endangered and 9 in Critically Endangered. Among those of particular concern are the basking shark and sawfishes. Sawfish photos by Grant Johnson

What We Catch Atlantic Sharpnose (adults, sub-adults, YOY, and neonates) Sandbar (adults, sub-adults, YOY) Finetooth (adults, sub-adults, YOY, and neonates) Blacktip (adults) Bonnethead (adults) Lemon (adults and sub-adults) Nurse (adults and sub-adults) Bull (adults) Scalloped Hammerhead (YOY) Spiny Dogfish (adult) Spinner (adult) Smooth Dogfish (adult)

Atlantic Sharpnose Shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) Max Size = 121 cm TL (about 4 feet) Maturity = 80 cm TL (~ 2.5 ft) illustration courtesy FAO Species Catalog - Sharks of the World Key Features: Smoothback White Spots Long snout Long labial furrows

Sandbar Shark (Carcharhinus plumbeus) Max TL= 240 cm (~ 8 ft) Mature from cm TL (~ 4 – 6 ft) illustration courtesy FAO Species Catalog - Sharks of the World

Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) Max TL=255 cm (~ 8.5 ft) Mature from cm TL (~ 4 – 6 ft) illustration courtesy FAO Species Catalog - Sharks of the World

Blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus) Photo by Grant Johnson

Finetooth (Carcharhinus isodon) Max =152 cm (~ 5 ft) Maturity =129 cm (~ 4 ft) illustration courtesy FAO Species Catalog - Sharks of the World

Bonnethead (Sphryna tiburo) Max Size = 110 cm (~ 3.5 ft) Size at Maturity = 75 cm (~ 2.5 ft) illustration courtesy FAO Species Catalog - Sharks of the World

Lemon Sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) Max. Size = 340 cm (11’) Size at Maturity = 230 (7.5’) illustration courtesy FAO Species Catalog - Sharks of the World

Nurse Sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) illustration courtesy FAO Species Catalog - Sharks of the World

Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) illustration courtesy FAO Species Catalog - Sharks of the World

Bull Sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) illustration courtesy FAO Species Catalog - Sharks of the World