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Virtual Shark Dissection

Creator: Jahnita DeMoranville

[Click anywhere to begin]

[Click here for instructions]

Instructions

1. Click anywhere on the sharks body to move around and learn about it. If you aren't sure where to click tap the icon in the top right corner to view what is clickable.

2. At any point you may click "back to full body view" to get back to the main page. OR click "view all" to see a grid of all of the pages you can view.

3. HAVE FUN!!

Let's dissect a shark

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Let's dissect a shark

Click anywhere on the sharks body to get started.

WAIT...before you move on do you want to learn a fun fact about shark skin? [click here]

Sharks are covered in tiny dermal denticles (placoid scales), which are tooth-like scales. Even though dermal denticles are similar to scales they are actually just modified teeth covered in hard enamel. If you have ever touched a shark this is why their skin feels like sandpaper if you rub it from the tail toward the nose. So if you ever hear anyone say "Sharks have teeth for skin!" this is what they mean. COOL huh?! Dermal denticles are beneficial to sharks in many ways, such as decreasing drag and allowing the shark to swim fast through the water. Dermal denticles also act as a sort of armor to protect sharks. (Image of dermal denticles of a White Shark. Source: Trevor Sewell/Electron Microscope Unit, University of Cape Town) Fun fact: When working with sharks scientists and aquarists must be careful because if they rub too hard or too quickly against the shark's skin they can get something called "shark burn' which is an abrasion similar to a rug burn (OUCH! ). To prevent this when working with sharks, the handler can wear long sleeves, long pants, and gloves.

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What is this little line/scar in the shark? This is the shark's placental connection, similar to the umbilical cord in mammals. This placental connection helps the baby sharks breathe, eat, and get rid of waste as they develop inside the mother. This is found in viviparous sharks. Viviparous just means "give birth to live young", the scar left on shark pups after birth to a belly button this is. Once sharks This helps scientists estimate if sharks are pups or you which stands for young-of-the-year, meaning they were born fairly recently. Sharks without a placental connection, get their nutrients from yolk sacs, and other unfertilized eggs, and in some cases, sharks even feed on their own siblings

These are the pectoral fins, they help control the shark's direction during movement.

These are the pectoral fins, they help control the shark's direction during movement.

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This is the mouth. Sharks use their mouths for catching and eating prey and male sharks use their mouths to bite and hold onto female sharks during mating. Sharks' mouths contain multiple rows of sharp teeth that are generally triangular-shaped, these teeth come in many different sizes and variations. Their teeth are constantly shed and replaced with new teeth. Shark teeth are designed in a way that is optimal for grabbing, biting, and holding on to many different types of prey items and are pointed inward toward the back of the mouth. (Image credit: Victor J. Perez/ Calvert Marine Museum)

The many small dots (pores) you see located on the shark's snout are called ampullae of Lorenzini, these pores are concentrated on the head of sharks and are filled with conductive mucus. These are electroreceptors, which are sense organs sharks use to detect electrical fields.

These are the shark's nostrils also called nares. Just like humans and other animals, sharks use their nostrils to smell.

These are the shark's nostrils also called nares. Just like humans and other animals, sharks use their nostrils to smell.

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This is the lens, it works to focus light.

This is the eye, sharks use their eyes to see. However, due to the position of the eyes, sharks have a few blind spots. Inside the eye is where the lens is located.

The many small dots (pores) you see located on the shark's snout are called ampullae of Lorenzini, these pores are concentrated on the head of sharks and are filled with conductive mucus. These are electroreceptors, which are sense organs sharks use to detect electrical fields.

These are the shark's nostrils also called nares. Just like humans and other animals, sharks use their nostrils to smell.

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This is the first dorsal fin. This fin helps to stabilize the shark as it swims through the water.

This is called a fin clip, scientists take this piece of a fin using a special tool. The fin clip is then used for genetic studies, to help further understand sharks. But don't worry the fin will grow back!

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This is the second dorsal fin. This fin is located on the shark's back in between the first dorsal and the caudal fin. It works the same as the first dorsal, in that it helps to stabilize the shark as it moves through the water.

This is the anal fin. Like some of the other fins on the shark's body this fin aids in stability when the shark is moving through water.

This is the precaudal pit, scientists use this as a point for measuring the size of sharks.

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These are the pelvic fins. They are located near the cloaca and also help to stabilize the shark. Fun fact: We can tell this shark is a female because of the way the pelvic fins look. Females do not have claspers attached to their pelvic fins like males do (see photo below).

This is the anal fin. Like some of the other fins on the shark's body this fin aids in stability when the shark is moving through water.

This is the cloacal opening. The cloaca collects the urine and fecal waste and it is expelled through this opening. When young pups are born they come out of this opening.

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This is the second dorsal fin. This fin is located on the shark's back in between the first dorsal and the caudal fin. It works the same as the first dorsal, in that it helps to stabilize the shark as it moves through the water.

This is the anal fin. Like some of the other fins on the shark's body, this fin aids in stability when the shark is moving through water.

This is the caudal fin. This fin is the primary way sharks propel themselves through the water, it provides thrust. The caudal fin has an upper and lower lobe, the size and shape of these lobes vary depending on the shark species.

This is the precaudal pit.

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The many small dots (pores) you see located on the shark's snout are called ampullae of Lorenzini, these pores are concentrated on the head of sharks and are filled with conductive mucus. These are electroreceptors, which are sense organs sharks use to detect electrical fields.

The many small dots (pores) you see located on the shark's snout are called ampullae of Lorenzini, these pores are concentrated on the head of sharks and are filled with conductive mucus. These are electroreceptors, which are sense organs sharks use to detect electrical fields.

Gill slits are a series of openings between the gill arches of a fish, where water passes over the gills. Most sharks have 5 but some have 6 and even 7.

These are gills. Sharks use their gills to extract oxygen from the water to breathe. In order to do this most sharks need to keep swimming to continuously have water washing over their gills. However, some sharks like the nurse shark are able to do something called buccal pumping. This allows them to remain stationary and still breathe.

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These are the pectoral fins, they help control the shark's direction during movement.

These are the pectoral fins, they help control the shark's direction during movement.

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This is the small intestine. This is part of a shark's gastrointestinal tract, here is where most of the absorption of nutrients from prey items takes place. During a shark dissection, you can find food at varying stages of digestion in the small intestine, such as these two pieces of fish. The first piece on the left is still covered in soft tissue while the other on the right is just bones.

This is the small intestine. This is part of a shark's gastrointestinal tract, here is where most of the absorption of nutrients from prey items takes place. During a shark dissection, you can find food at varying stages of digestion in the small intestine, such as these two pieces of a fish.

This is the stomach. Sharks have a "J" shaped stomach, their stomachs can expand much larger than the normal size. When sharks ingest their prey it makes its way down to the stomach, shark stomachs contain acid that is strong enough to digest metal (Source:dlnr.Hawaii.gov).

This is the liver. A shark's liver concentrates and stores fatty acids. It is also used for buoyancy.

These are the pectoral fins, they help control the shark's direction during movement.

These are the pectoral fins, they help control the shark's direction during movement.

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This is the stomach. Sharks have a "J" shaped stomach, their stomachs can expand much larger than the normal size. When sharks ingest their prey it makes its way down to the stomach, shark stomachs contain acid that is strong enough to digest metal (Source:dlnr.Hawaii.gov).

This is the small intestine. This is part of a shark's gastrointestinal tract, here is where most of the absorption of nutrients from prey items takes place. During a shark dissection, you can find food at varying stages of digestion in the small intestine, such as these two pieces of fish. The first piece on the left is still covered in soft tissue while the other on the right is just bones.

These are the pectoral fins, they help control the shark's direction during movement.

These are the pectoral fins, they help control the shark's direction during movement.

This is the liver. A shark's liver concentrates and stores fatty acids. It is also used for buoyancy.

This is the rectal gland. Sharks use this gland to excrete salt.

This is the pancreas, it produces digestive enzymes.

This is the colon.

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This is the mesentery. This extends and attached the liver and other organs to the mid-ventral body wall.

This is the stomach. Sharks have a "J" shaped stomach, their stomachs can expand much larger than the normal size. When sharks ingest their prey it makes its way down to the stomach, shark stomachs contain acid that is strong enough to digest metal (Source:dlnr.Hawaii.gov).

This is the rugae, they are folds that help mix food with the digestive fluids.

This is the small intestine. This is part of a shark's gastrointestinal tract, here is where most of the absorption of nutrients from prey items takes place. During a shark dissection, you can find food at varying stages of digestion in the small intestine, such as these two pieces of fish. The first piece on the left is still covered in soft tissue while the other on the right is just bones.