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About This Quiz
Everyone has a favorite shark. As a matter of fact, there are so many different species of shark that it's impossible not to pick the one you find most interesting. Consider the fact that there are around 500 species of these crazy creatures (and not all of them have sharp teeth!). While we may all be able to identify the great white or the hammerhead, the multitude of shark species gives us pause to consider what we really know about sharks. Sure, you probably watch Shark Week religiously every year to find out new things and learn about different shark attacks, but would you be able to tell the difference between a tiger shark and a thresher shark? If you can, you might be a shark genius, but there really is only one way to figure out your shark IQ ... and that's by taking this quiz.
We're going to ask you some of the tougher questions about what makes a shark a shark, how to spot one if you're swimming in the shallows and where you can find some of the more well-known (and not-so-well-known) species. Do you have what it takes to swim with the sharks? Take this impossible shark quiz to find out.
How many bones do sharks have?
None
That's right, sharks don't have bones. As a matter of fact, this is what separates their species from other fish. However, sharks do have skeletons that are made out of cartilage (the stuff our ears are made out of).
Between 200 and 350
478
145
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When do sharks learn how to attack?
When they're 1 year old
When they're still embryos
Believe it or not, sharks start attacking before they leave their eggs. While this has been studied in different species of shark, the most common occurrence was found in sand sharks. The mother shark can carry a dozen embryos, but only the largest is born (because he eats the rest of them).
When they're a month old
After they hatch
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Do you know the range of vision that a hammerhead shark has?
180 degrees
270 degrees
120 degrees
360 degrees
With their eyes set perfectly on their sides, hammerheads vision from each eye actually overlaps. Imagine walking around with your eyes crossed and trying to figure out which eye you should focus on. Hammerheads may be a little more advanced than us in this regard.
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A whale shark is the longest fish in the world. About how long can it get?
30 feet
120 feet
40 feet
The whale shark is known as the largest fish (Remember that whales themselves are mammals). They may be able to swallow a man whole, but they're actually filter feeders who rely mostly on plankton to live.
175 feet
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For most species of shark, are the males or the females larger?
Males
Females
Scientists assume that the size of the female is significantly larger, because she's the one who has to carry around shark babies. However, it could just be because large females are highly respected within shark society.
They're both the same.
The majority of species are similar in size.
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In what unlikely place might you find a bull shark swimming around?
Tropical rivers
Don't go thinking you're safe if you swim in fresh water. There are species of shark that can be found in lakes and fresh water. The bull shark, for example, can swim in both fresh and salt water.
The Antarctic Ocean
The Baltic Sea
The Dead Sea
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Can you name the shark that has a two-year gestation period?
Spiny dogfish
The spiny dogfish shark holds the record for gestation period in vertebrates: It holds its baby for two years. That's at least two summers, and if you know what it's like being pregnant in the summer, you probably pity this poor fish.
Great white
Whale shark
Tiger shark
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About how much force can the jaws of a great white shark produce?
2,000 PSI
100 PSI
4,000 PSI
The jaws of a great white shark are actually stronger than most large cats (which is saying a lot). By comparison, a human's jaws usually produces around 200 PSI ... No wonder we can't break bones with our teeth.
1,500 PSI
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On average, how many shark attacks happen in the United States each year?
147
85
52
19
Contrary to popular belief and what Hollywood films might make you think, we really only average about 19 shark bites each year, and very few of those are deadly.
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In the United States, how many shark attacks end up deadly?
One every 2 years
With the small amount of shark attacks that do happen, very few of them end up deadly. This is because, for the most part, sharks accidentally bite humans thinking that they're a different animal. Therefore, one bite is all you get. Sharks don't like eating people, so they usually swim away after the first bite; however, if that first bite hits an artery, the human is in a lot of trouble.
One every year
Two every year
Ten every year
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Sharks attack more men than women. What percentage of shark attacks are on male swimmers, surfers and fishers?
65%
93%
This is an astounding statistic, and it goes back through every shark attack on record since 1580. Many think that this is the case because there are more males than females in the waters where sharks dwell.
52%
71%
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What's the most amount of teeth a shark can grow in a lifetime?
50,000
We all know that sharks have rows and rows of teeth (These are called "series"). There are sharks that have fifteen series of teeth. This makes sharks even more frightening, as you can't just knock their teeth out to protect yourself.
100,000
80,000
125,000
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What's the oldest species of shark that is still living today?
Great white
Goblin shark
Goblin sharks are often considered the ugliest creatures in all the world. They live at the bottom of the ocean with the all the other terrifying creatures (including the angler fish). Scientists estimate that this species of shark is around 125 million years old.
Tiger
Bull head
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How thick is a whale shark's skin?
2 feet
4 inches
10 inches
6 inches
The whale shark's skin is so thick that scientists have had issues attempting to take blood samples from the creature. If their skin protects them from needles, it also protects them against other predators.
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How far can a great white travel without rest?
200 miles
250 miles
2,500 miles
That's right. Sharks don't stop to eat, sleep, rest or use the bathroom (They probably just do that while they're swimming). They can travel for days without stopping for a second. That's impressive.
2,000 miles
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How do sharks communicate?
Physical actions
Different shark species have different methods of communication, but none of them can use sounds, as they don't have vocal cords. Instead, they flap their tails or just bite things they don't like.
They don't communicate.
Sound waves
Clicking their tongues
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What's the biggest threat to all shark species?
Whales
Humans
Humans can kill up to 73 million sharks a year. While many of these deaths can be from our garbage littering the oceans, they are also killed on accident by boats, fished for food and hunted for trophies.
Other sharks
Seaweed
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What part of the thresher shark is the most recognizable?
Its nose
Its eyes
Its tail fin
The thresher shark can be spotted from the enlarged and elongated top tail fin on its back. These sharks are usually found in tropical waters, and warm climates and are also known as the fox shark.
Its gills
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How does an angular roughshark get its name?
It can turn on angles.
It has a triangular head fin.
This shark has triangles all over its body, and its name cannot compare to how unique and interesting this shark actually looks. It also has teeth-like scales all over its body, making it very rough.
Its body is a right angle.
It has a rough tongue.
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What do you know about a shark's eyesight?
Most sharks are blind.
Most sharks have great eyesight.
Not only do most species of sharks have great eyesight, many of them can actually see in the dark. That doesn't just include the sharks that dwell at the bottom of the ocean in the midnight zone.
Most sharks have a 360-degree field of view.
Most sharks have no eyes.
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How do scientists know how old sharks are?
The count their spots.
They count their teeth.
They count the rings on their vertebrae.
Just like trees, as sharks grow, they develop rings on their vertebrae. This helps scientists know an approximate age for the shark. While this isn't the most accurate way to tell the age of a shark, it does help give scientists an idea of how long a shark can live.
They look into their eyes.
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Can you name the bottom-dwelling shark that is known as a carpet shark?
Wobbegong
While we might look at the name of the wobbegong and think that it's a made up word, these sharks are often found on the sandy floors near shorelines. They are often mistakenly caught in fishermen's nets.
Sand shark
Thresher shark
Mackerel shark
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Which ocean doesn't have any shark species at all?
The Indian Ocean
The Pacific Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean
Every ocean has at least one species of shark.
No matter where you look, you'll find a shark in the ocean. As we know, sharks don't necessarily have to stay in salt water, though. Some shark species have evolved to be able to live in both fresh water and salt water.
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Besides their skeletons, what else separates sharks from other fish?
They have eyelids.
In case you were wondering, a shark cannot blink. Their eyes have eyelids, unlike every other kind of fish in the ocean. The reason they don't use those eyelids is because as they swim, the water cleans their eyes for them.
They eat other fish.
They have fins.
They have soft bellies.
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Do you know what direction a shark can swim?
Only forward
While many fish are able to swim in different directions (including backward), sharks are only able to swim forward. They can turn, but they are basically only able to swim in the direction their noses point to, because of their stiff fins.
Only backward
Only sideways
Every way
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What size is the smallest shark known to scientists?
About six inches
The dwarf lantern shark is the smallest shark recorded by scientists. They usually just eat krill and other small fish and crustaceans. There are goldfish that live to be bigger than these sharks!
Two feet
Three yards
One foot
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About how far away can a shark hear its prey?
Two yards away
Ten feet away
3,000 feet away
Along with their great sense of sight, sharks also have an incredible sense of hearing. These two senses combined make them one of the most efficient predators on the planet.
100 feet away
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When compared to other fish, what does a shark's brain look like?
It is the smallest of all fish.
It is the largest of all fish.
Compared to all of the other fish in the ocean, a shark has the largest brain. While dolphins might be the smartest thing in the ocean, remember that dolphins are mammals and sharks are fish.
Sharks have two brains.
Sharks don't have brains.
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Does a larger shark live longer than a smaller shark?
Yes, larger sharks live longer.
While the majority of shark species live for about 20 or 30 years, it's common to see larger sharks live longer. For example, scientists have found that great white sharks can live up to forty years, and they are one of the biggest shark species.
No, smaller sharks live longer.
They both live the same time.
It depends on the species.
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Approximately when did hammerheads evolve to have their unique look?
35,000 years ago
35 years ago
100 million years ago
20 million years ago
Scientists believe that the hammerhead shark is the youngest new species of shark, having evolved from a different species some 20 million years ago. They believe this because no hammerhead fossils have been seen from before this time period.
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How do most species of sharks like to hunt?
In large groups
With a partner
Alone
With exceptions in a few speices, most sharks like to hunt by themselves. The hammerhead shark does swim in packs and hunt together, but most other species of sharks aren't about sharing with the group.
Sharks don't hunt.
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When a great white shark jumps out of the water, how high can it get?
They don't jump out of the water.
10 feet
When great white sharks are hunting, they're known to do anything to catch their prey. That means that if their prey jumps, the great white will follow, and usually catch, the fish while it is out of water.
30 feet
Only a couple of inches
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Which species of shark has four fins that function as legs to walk on the ocean floor?
The great white
Tiger sharks
Epaulette sharks
A epaulette shark doesn't necessarily look like a regular shark, and part of that is because inches across the sea floor. These sharks are often found near the coasts of Australia and in other tropical waters.
Swallow sharks
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Besides their teeth, what makes a shark's mouth unique?
They can move both their upper and lower jaws.
With two jaws working at the same time, it's no wonder how a shark can produce 4,000 of pressure with each bite. This unique mouth movement helps them tear their food up and hunt.
They don't have bad breath.
They have two tongues.
Their gills are on their tongues.
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When did the Megalodon live?
30 years ago
100 years ago
50 years ago
25 million years ago
The word "Megalodon" means "big tooth," but there was much more about this shark that was big. These massive sharks were thought to reach nearly 60 feet long. They're the stuff nightmares are made of!
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by wildestanimal/Moment/Getty Images