WHATSTHATFISH
Sharks & rays

Great White Shark

Carcharodon carcharias

Also known as: Maneater, Maneater Shark, White Death, White Pointer, White Shark

VUVulnerableIUCN Red List, 2022
DangerousKeep your distance
Adult
@epic · Port Lincoln, Australia · February 20111 / 14
01

Overview

Found singly, pairs and occasionally small feeding schools over all areas of the oceans.
They feed in poor light usually early morning and late evening, presumably for surprise attacks. Great Whites detect their prey by the electrical impulses that or given out by their victims.
They feed on sea birds, carrion, crustaceans, large fish, humans, marine mammals, octopus and squid.

Considered extremely dangerous, probably the most dangerous shark in the world.

They attack in poor light conditions and it is rare they will attack during the day.
When they attack they bite and tear, humans are harder to digest, so they will often take one bite and leave.
Great whites when hunting can reach speeds of up to 40k and can launch themselves into the air sometimes as much as 10 meters which they regularly do to catch marine mammals such as sea lions.

02

How to identify

COLOURS

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03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Worldwide
  • Country only · 14
LIVES IN

Found singly, pairs and occasionally small feeding schools over all areas of the oceans.

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Adult photos 14

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classElasmobranchii
    4. orderLamniformes
    5. familyLamnidae
    6. genusCarcharodon
    7. speciesCarcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Lamniformes