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Sharks Trivia Questions and Answers

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1. Where does the Greenland shark live?


Answer: North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans

Interesting Information:
As its name suggests, the Greenland shark's range is mainly in the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. Its slow metabolism allows it to live in the cold waters in these areas. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: Greenland Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
North Pacific and Arctic Oceans, South Pacific and Arctic Oceans, Mainly around Greenland and Antarctica

2. What is the fastest shark in the world?


Answer: Shortfin mako shark

Interesting Information:
The shortfin mako shark is the speed of the sea. It has been seen swimming at 37 miles an hour, and can leap up to 20 feet in the air. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Shark Study
 
Some incorrect choices:
Longfin mako shark, Fastfin mako shark, Slowfin mako shark

3. Wide-ranging sharks are often known by several different names. Which shark is sometimes called the 'white pointer'?


Answer: Great white

Interesting Information:
The great white fits most people's idea of a shark. They can grow up to six metres long and live in cool, tropical, sub-tropical and warm temperate seas, where they feed on dolphins, seals, large fish and sea lions. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Swimming With Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
Silky shark, Thresher shark, Sand tiger shark

4. This shark is known for its unique yellow appearance. You can usually spot females in mangroves during birthing periods. What is this species of shark?


Answer: lemon

Interesting Information:
The lemon shark gives birth once yearly producing between four and seventeen pups. The pups stay in the shallow mangroves until reaching full maturity. It takes at least twelve years to reach maturity. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: Name That Shark
 
Some incorrect choices:
sand tiger, thresher, dusky

5. What does the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) have five of?


Answer: Gills

Interesting Information:
The great white shark has between five and seven gills on each side of its head. Gills are structures used in respiration. They are used to extract oxygen from the water and to excrete carbon dioxide back into the water. Gills are generally made up of thin filaments of tissue or branches. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Great White Shark
 
Some incorrect choices:
Spinal ridges, Rows of top teeth, Eyelids

6. What species of shark do people encounter most often at Shark Rodeos in the Bahamas?


Answer: Caribbean reef shark

Interesting Information:
Because of shark rodeos, the Caribbean reef shark has become the most watched shark in the world.
Dive shop operators who take divers out to partake in shark feeding run a shark rodeo.
Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: General Shark Facts
 
Some incorrect choices:
grey reef shark, dusky shark, bull shark

7. When a shark gives birth to live young, it is described as 'viviparous' or 'ovoviviparous'. What is the name given to these live young, though?


Answer: Pups

Interesting Information:
External egg development in sharks is known as 'oviparous', as the young sharks are born outside of the mother. Small to medium sized sharks, such as Port Jackson and leopard sharks use this method. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: Live Shark Reproduction
 
Some incorrect choices:
Calves, Sharklings, Ermits

8. What species of sharks does not exist?


Answer: Alligator sharks

Interesting Information:
Some real species are basking, bull, hammerhead, mako, nurse, thresher, whale and white sharks. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: The Lives Of Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
Nurse sharks, Thresher sharks, Hammerhead sharks

9. How large is the average shark?


Answer: 3 1/2 - 5 feet

Interesting Information:
There are approximately 500 species of sharks in the world, and about 80% of these are smaller than the average person. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Sharks, Denizens of the Deep Part 2
 
Some incorrect choices:
9 1/2 - 10 feet, 5 1/2 - 12 feet, 12 1/2 - 17 feet

10. Sharks are classified as which type of fish?


Answer: cartilaginous

Interesting Information:
Shark species make up most of this group, which also includes skates and rays. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Sharkcetera
 
Some incorrect choices:
invertebrate, bony, arthropod

11. Alopias superciliosus?


Answer: Thresher shark

Interesting Information:
Also known as the big eye thresher, this shark is a harmless shark that can reach up to 11 feet in length. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Name That Shark!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Whale shark, Snaggletooth shark, Bramble shark

12. What is the mako shark's Latin name?


Answer: Isurus oxyrinchus

From Quiz: Shortfin Mako Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
Orectolobus ornatus, Galeocerdo cuvier, Carcharhinus plumbeus

13. How long is a typical Greenland shark?


Answer: Eight to fifteen feet

Interesting Information:
Although Greenland sharks can grow larger, most have been observed to be between eight and fifteen feet. They typically weigh up to 400 kilograms (880 pounds). Males are usually smaller than females. These sharks range in colour from light grey to dark brown, and have thickset and rounded snouts, small eyes, and small fins. The gills are also very small for a species as large as the Greenland shark. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Greenland Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
Five to eight feet, Two to five feet, Fifteen to twenty feet

14. What are shark babies called?


Answer: pups

Interesting Information:
Shark babies are called pups. Some pups are grown inside of their mother, while others are hatched from an egg. Lemon sharks are one of the types of sharks that give birth to live pups. The mother will go to shallow water to give birth to her pups. The pups stay close to the shallow waters until they are grown. Swell shark pups hatch from eggs. The mother lays her eggs in a hard case, sometimes referred to as a mermaid's purse. Swell sharks lay up to five egg cases at a time. In about nine months the pups are born from the egg cases. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: Shark Mania!
 
Some incorrect choices:
kits, spawn, squall

15. What sharks have gas-filled swim bladders?


Answer: None

Interesting Information:
Most fish have swim bladders that allows fish to stay at a certain level in the water without sinking. Fish do this by filling their swim bladders with gas that they use like air in a balloon. Sharks do not have this ability, so they must keep swimming to avoid sinking. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Shark Study
 
Some incorrect choices:
Tiger sharks, Rock sharks, All sharks

16. How many times a year do hammerheads breed?


Answer: once

Interesting Information:
Hammerheads breed once a year and give birth to live young. Depending on the species, anywhere between twelve and forty pups can be born at one time. Like other sharks, baby hammerheads receive no parental care. They must fend for themselves from the moment of birth. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Born in the Wild: Shark
 
Some incorrect choices:
twice, three times, at least ten times

17. Which species of shark belong to the family Sphyrnidae?


Answer: Hammerhead

Interesting Information:
Named for the unusual shape of their heads, there are eight known species of hammerhead: the scalloped bonnethead, the smooth hammerhead, the Carolina hammerhead, the smalleye hammerhead, the scalloped hammerhead, the bonnethead, the scoophead and the great hammerhead. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Swimming With Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
Blue shark, Snaggletooth shark, Short-finned mako

18. This species has been nicknamed "wolves of the sea" by many fisherman. It is mostly seen traveling in large groups. The group hunts as a whole, often appearing lethargic before striking. What is the species of shark?


Answer: blue

Interesting Information:
Blue sharks prefer deep cool waters. They are known for migrating long distances, often following currents. Most schools are made up of the same sex and similar sized sharks. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Name That Shark
 
Some incorrect choices:
spinner, nurse, leopard

19. Where are whale sharks usually found?


Answer: In tropical waters

Interesting Information:
Whale sharks prefer warm tropical waters where there's a plentiful food supply. They feed on krill, small fish & squid. One of the best places to swim with Whale sharks is Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Wonderful Whale Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
Everywhere, In cold waters, In the arctic

20. The unborn grow inside the mother for roughly one year and several can be born to a litter. What word refers to the babies?


Answer: Pups

Interesting Information:
Upon being born, a pup immediately flees its mother and siblings because it may be seen as prey to them. Although a great white will likely be at the top of the oceanic food chain throughout its entire life, a pup avoids predators bigger than itself - including other great whites - if it is comes anywhere close to completing its first year of life, an achievement not very many live up to.
Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Great White Sharks!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Calves, Tadpoles, Goslings

21. Called the grey nurse shark in Australia, its common name in America is the _________.


Answer: sand tiger shark

Interesting Information:
The same species with the exception of minor local differences, the sand tiger shark and the grey nurse shark have another name as well. In South Africa, they go by the name ragged tooth shark. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: General Shark Facts
 
Some incorrect choices:
Galapagos reef shark, grey reef shark, whitetip reef shark

22. On the average, how many confirmed shark attacks are there every year, world-wide?


Answer: between 75 - 100

Interesting Information:
Sharks attack fewer than 100 people a year, and probably less than 20 of these attacks are fatal. On the other hand, people kill over a hundred million sharks every year. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Sharks, Denizens of the Deep Part 2
 
Some incorrect choices:
between 25 - 50, between 100 - 200, between 200 - 300

23. Millions of sharks are mistakenly caught by fishermen. This is called _____________.


Answer: bycatch

Interesting Information:
Most of these sharks are tossed back into the ocean either dead, or dying. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Sharkcetera
 
Some incorrect choices:
cast offs, throw aways, overkill

24. Carcharias taurus?


Answer: Sand tiger shark

Interesting Information:
This shark still exists today and can be up to 250 cm long and can weigh 155 kg. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Name That Shark!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Mako shark, False mako shark, Sharpnosed shark

25. What species of shark is sometimes called "The swimming garbage can"?


Answer: Tiger shark

Interesting Information:
The tiger shark is an apex predator, and sometimes will eat inedible objects accidentally. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Shark Study
 
Some incorrect choices:
Great white shark, Mako shark , Pajama shark

26. This species is thought to be the most maneuverable shark due to its unusually shaped head. There are several variations of this species with only one being known to attack humans. What is the name of this species of shark?


Answer: great hammerhead

Interesting Information:
The great hammerhead is a nomadic predator, but is still known for being the first species of shark to reach baited lines. Although they are travelers, they are often spotted near coral reefs. Scientists believe that the head is used to pin prey to the sea floor possibly to avoid injury to the shark. A popular prey for the great hammerhead is the stingray. Difficulty: Very Easy.

From Quiz: Name That Shark
 
Some incorrect choices:
goblin, horn, bignose

27. What is the Whale Shark's scientific name?


Answer: Rhincodon typus

Interesting Information:
The scientific name for the Leopard shark is Triakis semifasciata.

The Whale shark's scientific name is Rhincodon typus.

The scientific name for the Tiger shark is Galeocerdo cuvier.

The Great White's scientific name is Carcharodon carcharius. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Wonderful Whale Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
Carcharodon carcharius, Triakis semifasciata, Galeocerdo cuvier

28. The great white shark is classified as a Lamnidae. What does this mean?


Answer: Mackerel shark

Interesting Information:
The great white shark is classified as a mackerel shark. Some of the defining features of a mackerel shark are that it is large, partly warm-blooded, has a pointed snout and has an aggressive reputation. The great white shark is a fierce carnivorous shark with heterocercal caudal fins (the tail fins have a larger upper lobe than the lower lobe). They have tough skin that is covered with small, sharp, tooth-like scales. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Great White Shark
 
Some incorrect choices:
Sawshark, Whale shark, Bramble shark

29. The _____________ is one of the only species of sharks known to eat jellyfish.


Answer: bronze whaler shark

Interesting Information:
It is unknown why bronze whalers eat jellyfish, because jellyfish offer no nutritional value to the sharks whatsoever. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: General Shark Facts
 
Some incorrect choices:
white-tip reef shark, scalloped hammerhead shark, sandbar shark

30. Sometimes, fishermen catch sharks and only use the fins. This process is called ______________.


Answer: finning

Interesting Information:
Again, the sharks are tossed overboard to drown. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Sharkcetera
 
Some incorrect choices:
cutting, dismemberment, slicing

31. Carcharocles angustidens?


Answer: Extinct giant white shark

Interesting Information:
This extinct white shark probably reached lengths of up to 40 feet. There fossilized teeth are highly sought after by fossil shark teeth hunters. Fossilized teeth can reach up to 7" each. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Name That Shark!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Tiger shark, Hammerhead shark, Requiem shark

32. What is the average litter size of a mako shark?


Answer: 4-16 pups

From Quiz: Shortfin Mako Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
17-24 pups, 30-34 pups, 1-2 pups

33. At what age does the Greenland shark become mature enough to begin reproducing?


Answer: About 150 years

Interesting Information:
In the study of Greenland sharks that was completed in 2016, scientists found that these sharks live a very long time. They also estimated that sharks must be about 150 years of age before they become capable of reproduction. This means that Greenland sharks that were born around the time of the US Civil war had just become mature enough to reproduce when the study was completed. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Greenland Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
About 50 years, About 100 years, About 200 years

34. If the whale shark is the largest shark, what shark is the second largest?


Answer: Basking shark

Interesting Information:
The basking shark eats plankton like the whale shark, and is also the second largest fish. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Shark Study
 
Some incorrect choices:
Great white shark, Thrasher shark, Lemon shark

35. Pristiophorus cirratus is the scientific name of which shark?


Answer: Common saw shark

Interesting Information:
Saw sharks are very unusual. Above their small mouths, they have a long, pointed appendage, used for digging in the sand to uncover shrimp or shellfish. The edges of this appendage are covered in sharp, spiny teeth. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Swimming With Sharks
 
Some incorrect choices:
Californian bullhead shark, Bramble shark, Ornate wobbegong

36. This species is one of the most common in aquariums. In the wild, this shark makes its home close to ship wrecks. In some countries, it is known as the ragged tooth shark, often going through five thousand teeth in a life span. Which shark is this?


Answer: sandtiger

Interesting Information:
The sandtiger is a favorite of divers due to its ability to remain motionless. This shark surfaces for air and fills a swim bladder, which allows it to remain buoyant while motionless. It uses this techique to ambush fish. The sandtigers' strongest embryo feeds on the weaker pups and unfertilized eggs. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Name That Shark
 
Some incorrect choices:
cookie cutter, porbeagle, tiger

37. Great white sharks have a white underbelly and a grey, brown or blue dorsal area. What is this type of camouflage coloring called?


Answer: Countershading

Interesting Information:
Having a white underbelly and a darker dorsal area is called countershading. Generally, the great white shark has a grey dorsal area, but some have been known to have brown or blue shades as well. The countershading gives the great white shark a "mottled" look which makes it difficult to be spotted by his potential prey. The shark's outline is broken up by this countershading. When looking down at a great white shark, its darker dorsal area blends with the sea. Looking from below the shark, the white underbelly blends and a silhouette of the shark, against sunlight, is very minimal.

Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: The Great White Shark
 
Some incorrect choices:
Mix matching, Gradient shading, Silhouetting

38. Which two species of sharks have eyes that contain only rods and no cones?


Answer: blacktip reef shark & sixgill shark

Interesting Information:
These two sharks live in completely different habitats. The blacktip reef shark lives in very shallow, coastal, tropical water while the sixgill lives in deeper, temperate waters.
Color vision comes from the cones in the eye, and with no cones, the blacktip reef shark and the sixgill shark are colorblind.
Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: General Shark Facts
 
Some incorrect choices:
sand tiger shark& blacktip shark, great white shark & lemon shark, mako shark & bronze whaler shark

39. Scientists believe that the shark responsible for the Matawan, NJ attacks in the early 1900's was a:


Answer: Bull shark or great white shark

Interesting Information:
The animal killed and maimed several people. The attacks stopped after the river was dynamited, however it is not known if the culprit was killed. The movie "Jaws" was loosely based on this event. See http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/08/0802_020802_shark.html for details. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Sharkcetera
 
Some incorrect choices:
Great white, Mako, Tiger

40. Echinorhinus blakei?


Answer: Bramble shark

Interesting Information:
The bramble shark is named after the thorn like dermal denticles that are scattered over the body of the shark. This shark reaches a length of about 13 feet. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Name That Shark!
 
Some incorrect choices:
Angel shark, Tiger shark, Modern mako shark
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