Aquarium Reptile Complex (ARC)
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| Scientific Name: Triakis semifasciata |
| Description: |
| Leopard sharks prefer inshore areas and range from Baja California and the northern Gulf of California all the way up the West Coast to Oregon. Measuring only up to 5 feet long as an adult, the leopard is considered one of the smaller of the 350 living species of sharks. |
| Staying Alive: |
Leopard sharks breathe oxygen from the water through gill slits on the sides of their heads. Water is drawn in through the mouth and passed over the gills where the oxygen is extracted. It is important to note that if sharks stop swimming they do not die. All that happens when they stop swimming is that they sink.
Leopard sharks eat a variety of fish and invertebrates. Their prey includes innkeeper worms, crabs, clams, shrimp, small fish and octopus. Since they are one of the smaller sharks, larger sharks prey upon them. |
| Make Sense of it All: |
Sharks have no visible ears, but a lateral line on both sides of their bodies to pick up vibrations from moving objects in the water. The lateral line is a tube with a series of pores that open to the outside. These pores lead to sensory cells that register vibrations in the water. When the shark feels vibrations, it knows that there is either a predator or prey nearby. Their sense of equilibrium is felt through the semicircular canals of the inner ear, which are hidden in the brain case.
Sharks' olfactory senses are very well developed and occupy most of their brains. Around the snout there are tiny holes or pits called Ampullae of Lorenzini. These ampullae are responsible for detecting electrical impulses. Leopard sharks can locate prey by the use of this sense alone, even detecting prey under the sand. This sense also acts as a compass enabling sharks to know where they are in relation to the Earth's magnetic field. |
| No Need to Fear: |
Watching scary movies about sharks sometimes gives us the wrong message. For some people, the word "shark" strikes fear into their hearts-but only because they do not know much about these truly amazing animals. Consider this: Only 10 out of the 350 different species of sharks are considered dangerous to humans. Of the six billion people that inhabit the Earth, less then 10 people per year are attacked by sharks, but more than 12 million sharks are killed by people each year.
Eliminating our fear of sharks and understanding them better can lead to their survival. Sharks are important to the oceans' communities. You can appreciate the beauty and elegance of the shark when you visit the leopard sharks in the Aquarium Reptile Complex at Riverbanks Zoo. |
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