Sharks are fish that belong to the selaquimorph superorder. The resemblance of some species to other animals such as dolphins raises questions about whether sharks are mammals or not. In this article on our site we clear up this mystery by explaining how sharks are born
Also, we will review what mechanisms they follow to reproduce, what are the characteristics of their eggs, very different from those of hens, and the name of their offspring.
Is the shark a mammal?
Are sharks mammals or not? Absolutely not Sharks are a group of fish that have the peculiarity of having a skeleton made up of cartilageCartilage is a tissue with less rigidity and hardness than bone, but with greater flexibility. Mammals have a bony skeleton and have mammary glands that produce milk with which they feed their young.
In addition, they are viviparous, so their young develop inside the mother's body until they are ready to be born. The exception is some monotreme mammals, capable of laying eggs. They are the platypus or the echidna, as we can see in this List of mammals that lay eggs on our site.
Mammals are also characterized by being able to regulate their body temperature, that is, they are homeotherms. Their bodies are covered with hair and they have lungs to breathe. Now, is the shark oviparous or viviparous? Although some sharks are viviparous, this by no means makes them mammalian. In the following sections we focus on explaining how sharks are born.
Here is more information about cartilaginous fish: characteristics, names and examples.
How do sharks reproduce?
To know how sharks are born, we must first know that, in addition to viviparity, they have other forms of reproduction, since there are also oviparous and ovoviviparous sharks. Thus, the Shark ways of reproduction are:
- Oviparous sharks: Oviparous sharks are those that reproduce by laying eggs in the environment. If you want to know more about them, you can read this other article on Oviparous animals: definition and examples.
- Ovoviviparous sharks: Also called placental viviparous sharks. In this case, the females do not lay the eggs, but keep them inside the body, where hatching occurs. The young feed on the contents of the egg and not on their mother, as in the case of mammals. The little sharks hatch from the egg and continue to feed on unfertilized eggs produced by the female. When she is she stops doing it, it's time for the pups to be born. We present more ovoviviparous animals: examples and curiosities in this article on our site.
- Viviparous sharks: However, within the ovoviviparous sharks there are species that are placental and are called viviparous. In these cases, when there are no more nutrients inside the egg, a system similar to the placenta of mammals is produced that serves to keep the young nourished.
Now that you know if the shark is oviparous or viviparous, you can consult this other article on our site on How do sharks reproduce?, where we explain in more detail the reproductive strategy of sharks.
What are shark eggs like?
Shark eggs are essential structures in reproduction, regardless of how the sharks were born, since, in any case, the development of the offspring will depend, to a greater or lesser extent, on the generation of an egg.
Shark eggs are very different from the eggs we are used to seeing. In oviparous sharks, those that lay eggs in the middle, what we will see is a horny capsule with formations similar to tendrils that facilitate theiranchoring in rocks or algae In some species, this capsule takes on a shape similar to that of a screw, with the same fastening purpose.
Therefore, we can find a shark egg with more or less striking designs according to the needs of each species. Some of these elongated and translucent capsule-eggs are popularly known as mermaid bags This shark egg can be found empty on the coast.
What is the baby shark called?
Once we know how sharks are born, in any of the reproductive mechanisms, we are going to obtain offspring that can fend for themselves in the environment. Fish are considered hatchlings from the time they hatch until they reach sexual maturity.
At this stage of development, they all receive the generic name of fingerlings In the specific case of sharks, it is more common for us to let's refer to this vital period using only the word broodThe fact that it is a species with which we have little relationship explains why we use very generic terms to refer to them.
Now that you know how sharks are born, you may also be interested in this other article on our site about Types of sharks - Species and their characteristics.
