Sharkophile

The latest shark news, photos and videos

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Prehistoric sharks were suckers for crustaceans

A new study by the University of Chicago found that a prevalent species of 335-million-year-old shark had sophisticated jaws that functioned in much the same way as modern nurse sharks. Researchers used CT scans of fossils embedded deep in rock to create 3-D models of the movements and mechanics of the prehistoric sharks. The findings […]

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Researchers uncover secret to glowing sharks

Researchers have identified a previously unknown family of small-molecule metabolite that is responsible for the bioflourescence of deepwater sharks that allows them to see each other in the darkest of depths. David Gruber, a professor at City University of New York, and Jason Crawford, a professor at Yale University, extracted chemicals from the skin samples of […]

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Shark data lacking for Western Indian Ocean

Great white sharks, bull sharks, tiger sharks: All are household names, synonymous with media hype, and made infamous through films and documentaries. These “deadly” names represent just three species of sharks and, aside from the real shark nerds, few people are able to name many others. Yet, globally, there are over 1,250 species of sharks […]

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Study maps evolution of sharks through their teeth

The family of mackerel sharks, from the modern mako to the prehistoric megalodon, can be traced back to a modest common ancestor, according to a new study by the University of Vienna, Austria. The study, which was published in the recent journal Scientific Reports, looked at tooth samples from the great white and other members of […]

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VIDEO: Fun facts about sharks

Katherine Maslenikov, manager of the University of Washington Fish Collection at the Burke Museum, talks about shark behavior, possible myths, and their role in the ecosystem. Here are a few quick facts about the apex predators: The Pacific Northwest is home to several smaller species, including the dogfish family of sharks, leopard sharks and sixgill sharks. Off […]

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Mysterious deepwater sharks found in urban waters

Scientists from Dalhousie University have discovered that bluntnose sixgill sharks, traditionally thought to only inhabit deeper waters, might be thriving in the near-shore environments just off the coast of Vancouver, Canada. During a mission aboard a Stingray submarine, Dr. Chris Harvey-Clark observed multiple juvenile sixgills in less than 300 foot of water less than one […]