Sharks : the animal answer guide

Helfman, Gene S. (Author). Burgess, George H., 1949- (Added Author).

Summary: 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.

Record details

ISBN: 9781421413082 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN: 1421413086 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN: 9781421413099 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN: 1421413094 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN: 9781421413105 (electronic)
ISBN: 1421413108 (electronic)
Physical Description: print
xvii, 249 pages : illustrations (some color), map ; 26 cm
Publisher: Baltimore : The Johns Hopkins University Press, [2014]
Copyright: ©2014

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-237) and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

1. Introducing sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras -- What are sharks and how are they classified -- How many kinds of sharks are there -- How did sharks get their name -- Where do shards 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 --