The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the great white, w

hite pointer, white shark, or white death, is a species of large lamniform shark
which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The g
reat white shark is mainly known for its size, with mature individuals growing u
p to 6.4 m (21 ft) in length (although reports have been published of great whit
e sharks measuring over 8 m (26 ft),[3] and 3,324 kg (7,328 lb) in weight).[4][5
][6][7] This shark reaches its maturity around 15 years of age and was previousl
y believed to have a life span of over 30 years. The true lifespan of great whit
e sharks is far longer; now estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, making
it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known.[8] Great white s
harks can accelerate to speeds that exceed 56 km/h (35 mph).[9]
The great white shark is an apex predator of the seas and has no natural predato
rs other than the Orca.[10] The great white shark is arguably the world's larges
t known extant macropredatory fish, and is one of the primary predators of marin
e mammals. It is also known to prey upon a variety of other marine animals, incl
uding fish and seabirds. It is the only known surviving species of its genus Car
charodon, and is ranked first in having the most attacks on humans.[11][12] The
IUCN list the great white shark as a vulnerable species,[2] while it is included
in Appendix II of CITES.[13]
The bestselling novel Jaws by Peter Benchley and the subsequent blockbuster film
by Steven Spielberg depicted the great white shark as a "ferocious man eater".
In reality, humans are not the preferred prey of the great white shark,[14] howe
ver of all shark species, the great white shark is responsible for by far the la
rgest number of fatal unprovoked attacks on humans.[15]
The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), also known as the great white, w
hite pointer, white shark, or white death, is a species of large lamniform shark
which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major oceans. The g
reat white shark is mainly known for its size, with mature individuals growing u
p to 6.4 m (21 ft) in length (although reports have been published of great whit
e sharks measuring over 8 m (26 ft),[3] and 3,324 kg (7,328 lb) in weight).[4][5
][6][7] This shark reaches its maturity around 15 years of age and was previousl
y believed to have a life span of over 30 years. The true lifespan of great whit
e sharks is far longer; now estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, making
it one of the longest lived cartilaginous fish currently known.[8] Great white s
harks can accelerate to speeds that exceed 56 km/h (35 mph).[9]
The great white shark is an apex predator of the seas and has no natural predato
rs other than the Orca.[10] The great white shark is arguably the world's larges
t known extant macropredatory fish, and is one of the primary predators of marin
e mammals. It is also known to prey upon a variety of other marine animals, incl
uding fish and seabirds. It is the only known surviving species of its genus Car
charodon, and is ranked first in having the most attacks on humans.[11][12] The
IUCN list the great white shark as a vulnerable species,[2] while it is included
in Appendix II of CITES.[13]
The bestselling novel Jaws by Peter Benchley and the subsequent blockbuster film
by Steven Spielberg depicted the great white shark as a "ferocious man eater".
In reality, humans are not the preferred prey of the great white shark,[14] howe
ver of all shark species, the great white shark is responsible for by far the la
rgest number of fatal unprovoked attacks on humans.[15]
Ancestry and fossil record
The great white shark came into existence during the mid-Miocene epoch. The earl
iest known fossils of the great white shark are about 16 million years old.[1] H
owever, the phylogeny of the great white is still in dispute. The original hypot
hesis for the great white's origins is that it shares a common ancestor with a p
rehistoric shark, such as the C. megalodon. Similarities among the physical rema
ins and the extreme size of both the great white and C. megalodon led many scien
tists to believe these sharks were closely related, and the name Carcharodon meg
alodon was applied to the latter. However, a new hypothesis proposes that the C.
megalodon and the great white are distant relatives (albeit sharing the family
Lamnidae). The great white is also more closely related to an ancient mako shark
, Isurus hastalis, than to the C. megalodon, a theory that seems to be supported
with the discovery of a complete set of jaws with 222 teeth and 45 vertebrae of
the extinct transitional species Carcharodon hubbelli in 1988 and published on
14 November 2012.[17] In addition, the new hypothesis assigns C. megalodon to th
e genus Carcharocles, which also comprises the other megatoothed sharks; Otodus
obliquus is the ancient representative of the extinct Carcharocles lineage.[18]
Great white sharks live in almost all coastal and offshore waters which have wat
er temperature between 12 and 24 C (54 and 75 F), with greater concentrations in t
he United States (Atlantic Northeast and California), South Africa, Japan, Ocean
ia, Chile, and the Mediterranean.[19] One of the densest known populations is fo
und around Dyer Island, South Africa, where almost all of the shark research is
done.
The great white is an epipelagic fish, observed mostly in the presence of rich g
ame, such as fur seals, sea lions, cetaceans, other sharks, and large bony fish
species. In the open ocean, it has been recorded at depths as great as 1,200 m (
3,900 ft).[20] These findings challenge the traditional notion about the great w
hite as being a coastal species.[20]
According to a recent study, California great whites have migrated to an area be
tween Baja California and Hawaii known as the White Shark Caf to spend at least 1
00 days before migrating back to Baja. On the journey out, they swim slowly and
dive down to around 900 m (3,000 ft). After they arrive, they change behavior an
d do short dives to about 300 m (1,000 ft) for up to ten minutes. Another white
shark that was tagged off of the South African coast swam to the southern coast
of Australia and back within the year. A similar study tracked a different great
white shark from South Africa swimming to Australia's northwestern coast and ba
ck, a journey of 20,000 km (12,000 mi; 11,000 nmi) in under nine months.[21] The
se observations argue against traditional theories that white sharks are coastal
territorial predators, and open up the possibility of interaction between shark
populations that were previously thought to have been discrete. The reasons for
their migration and what they do at their destination is still unknown. Possibi
lities include seasonal feeding or mating.[22]
Anatomy and appearance
The great white shark has a robust, large, conical snout. The upper and lower lo
bes on the tail fin are approximately the same size which is similar to some mac
kerel sharks.
A great white displays countershading, by having a white underside and a grey do
rsal area (sometimes in a brown or blue shade) that gives an overall mottled app
earance. The coloration makes it difficult for prey to spot the shark because it
breaks up the shark's outline when seen from the side. From above, the darker s
hade blends with the sea and from below it exposes a minimal silhouette against
the sunlight.
Great white sharks, like many other sharks, have rows of serrated teeth behind t
he main ones, ready to replace any that break off. When the shark bites, it shak
es its head side-to-side, helping the teeth saw off large chunks of flesh.