The zebra shark eats mostly shelled mollusks, crustaceans, small bony fishes, and probably sea snakes as well. 9) Diet/Hunting Pattern Of The Zebra Shark Males will reach sexual maturity at 1.5 to 1.8 meters (4.9 to 5.9 feet) long, and females at 1.7 meters (5.6 feet) long.įemale zebra sharks have been observed producing offspring without mating. Pups measure 20 to 36 cm (7.9 to14.2 inches) long and they have proportionately longer tails than their adult counterparts. Generally, the eggs should begin hatching anywhere from four to six months. These egg cases are dark brown to purple in color, with long, hair-like fibers along the sides that the female uses to secure the egg to objects on the sea floor. A fertilized female can continue laying eggs for almost three months before she is done. Zebra shark females are oviparous: they reproduce by laying sometimes up to 50 eggs capsules at a time. Once she concedes to mating, both of them will lie still on the ocean floor for a while. 3.0)Ĭourtship begins with the male following the female around and biting her pectoral fins and tail fiercely. 8) Reproduction Details The Juvenile Zebra Shark Is Distinctly Different In Appearance From Adults. There is only one reported case of an unprovoked attack from a zebra shark though the affected diver was not injured. Humans also hunt them for their oil, meat, and fins. If you walk in to many buildings today with large to medium sized aquariums, you may notice that many of them keep the zebra shark on display. In some parts of the sea, they have gotten so used to humans that they will allow themselves to be petted by divers and swimmers. This shark is generally considered harmless to humans. Though their exact swimming speed is not documented, they are generally strong, agile swimmers. 5) Average/Maximum WeightĪbout 30 kilograms (66 lbs.) 6) Maximum Swimming Speed Male and female of this species are not different in size. They grow up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet), though there are unconfirmed reports of one individual reaching 3.5 meters (11 feet). Stegostoma Fasciatum 2) Scientific Classification:īetween 25 and 30 years in the wild. This species is often referred to as the leopard shark, though that name is more common for the species Triakis Semifasciata. The present conservation status for the zebra shark is Endangered. Humans are also putting them under pressure through hunting them for their oily meat, and fins.Īccording to research conducted by the IUCN, the numbers of these animals are reducing and they are at a very high risk of becoming extinct. Since these sharks are relatively small compared to the larger shark species, they are at risk from other larger sharks like great whites, etc. Zebra sharks are generally harmless to humans and they’re also a top choice for aquarium displays because they are hardy and do quite well even in captivity. They come up at night to hunt for prey like mollusks, crustaceans, small bony fish, and possibly sea snakes too. This species is nocturnal and spends most of the day lying motionless on the sea floor unless disturbed. These stripes fade away as the sharks grow older. In fact, the name “Zebra shark” is from the juveniles of this species because of the zebra-like stripes on their bodies. Young zebra sharks are very different in appearance with light vertical stripes on brown skin. This shark swims throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific waters.Īn adult zebra shark has five longitudinal ridges on a cylindrical-shaped body, a low caudal fin that’s almost half its total body length, and a pattern of dark spots on a pale skin. The Zebra Shark is a distinctly beautiful species of carpet shark and the only member of its family: Stegostomatidae. Zebra Sharks Are One Of Many Endangered Sharks Today. The Zebra Shark is distinctly beautiful and it’s one of the few sharks that can reproduce without mating.
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