![]() Essentially, their snouts act like the bumper on a car, giving their denser cartilage an added layer of protection. The good thing about this is that they can suffer serious blows to the snout without getting seriously injured. In contrast, their snouts are very soft and flexible, as they are made of softer tissue. Remember, sharks can swallow an entire sea lion in a single bite!Īnd, as you probably guessed, sharks have just about the greatest bite force in the ocean, which is one of the reasons they are the most feared predators. Because a shark's mouth can open super wide, they have a much better wind-up to exert incredible downward force when they bite. If a shark's jaw was made from bone, it would have a difficult time opening its mouth super wide to consume large prey. Plus, cartilage is very flexible when compared to bone, allowing sharks to swim faster and turn tighter, perfect for chasing down their prey.īeyond that, a shark's cartilaginous skeleton allows it to flex its jaw much more. ![]() If sharks had regular bones in their skeleton, they'd be much heavier. The more fat a shark has in its liver, the more buoyant it will be.įUN FACT: Bottom-dwelling sharks typically have more oils in their livers, allowing them to float easily. When cartilage is calcified, it almost appears to have the same density and toughness as bone.Įssentially, the liver collects oils in the body to help it float. When sharks age, their cartilage hardens thanks to calcium salt deposits that continuously build up. Because they don't have rib cages, they don't do well out of the water.Ĭartilage may not be as strong as bone on its own, which is why many people are so curious as to how it protects one of the strongest creatures in the ocean. Essentially, if you tried to wrap your arms around the belly of a shark (which we don't recommend), you would end up squeezing a big, squishy fish. However, a shark's snout is made with softer cartilage.Ĭartilaginous skeletons provide both strength and flexibility, which is why sharks benefit from them so much.įUN FACT: Sharks don't have rib cages! In fact, they don't even have rib cages made out of cartilage. You can also find calcified cartilage in the shark's jaw bone. Their stocky skills come with a braincase, which protects the brain, and eye sockets, very similar to a human's skull. Some parts of a shark's body require more flexibility, while others require more protection.įor example, a shark's head is made from calcified cartilage to protect its brain. To give them strength and flexibility where they need it, the shark's skeleton is made up of different types of cartilage in different places. The human skeleton is held together by different forms of cartilage as well! Because sharks are cartilaginous fish, they have a cartilaginous skeleton made from cartilage instead of bone.Ĭartilage is a strong and flexible tissue that pretty much has the same job as a bone skeleton, giving body shape and structure while adding a protective barrier for their internal organs.
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