Win Mystic Aquarium Tickets – Entry Deadline Friday 7/14/17
By Jamie Appelberg, Mystic Aquarium
More Shark Questions from Feinstein Scholars:
Over 400 species of sharks have been discovered living in a variety of ocean ecosystems. Shark species have developed adaptations for survival in this variety of habitats. Some have pointy teeth to catch slippery fish, others have large serrated teeth for tearing through their prey, while still others have flatter teeth for crushing crustaceans and other small sea animals.
The megamouth shark sure takes after its name! The mega-large-mouth is used to catch great amounts of krill. They have tiny teeth that do not aid in eating, but line its mouth.
The shortfin mako shark; however, has a completely different body structure. They have long, sharp, and serrated teeth to catch fast fish, squid, swordfish, and mackerel. They hunt below the swimming level of their prey, so they can use their extreme speed to strike from below. Their physique is long and sleek, allowing them easily maneuver in the water and to be able to reach speeds upwards of 60 miles per hour!
The saw shark is an example of a species that lurks on the ocean floor, feasting on crustaceans, fish, and squid. The saw shark has a pair of barbells (which look like whiskers) along their snout that scours the ocean floor in search of food. They spend their days feeding along the ocean floor; their barbells help them do so effectively.
Horn sharks use their molar-like teeth to crush mollusks and crustaceans. They swim in low level areas such as reefs and algae beds; they are mostly lone-predators. They’re known to hunt at night and retreat to shelter during the day.
Anything glow-in-the-dark is cool right? Well what’s cooler than a glow in the dark shark!? Some species of sharks are bioluminescent; this unique trait does much more than make them make them more visible in the dark. This feature, along with other defining patterns helps them recognize each other in the deep dark ocean. It also helps them find mates in their own species, and find one another to organize an attack on prey as a group. There are a couple species amongst our vast ocean that are bioluminescent!
In his continuing search for new and exciting educational opportunities, Alan Shawn Feinstein has now made it possible for area folks to become shark experts. The Feinstein Foundation is offering the opportunity for people to win tickets to see a screening of the premier episode of “Shark Week” at Mystic Aquarium before it has aired on the Discovery Channel.
Alan Shawn Feinstein’s commitment to schools and education in the State of Rhode Island and South Eastern Massachusetts is legendary. He has dedicated millions of dollars to its schools, and consistently promotes the importance of community service in education and the values of caring, compassion and brotherhood. Students are still enjoying personal visits from Alan at their elementary schools and viewers can still hear his message through his RI PBS show which can also be seen on Netflix! Alan Shawn Feinstein and the Feinstein Foundation are dedicated to empowering youngsters to reach out to help others and teach them the importance of compassion and caring for those in need. There are currently over 250,000 Feinstein Jr. Scholars pledging to do good deeds every day. “
