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Leopard Shark
Threat Level: low
- Lemon SHARK
Scientific Name: Triakis Semifasciata
Family Name: Triakidae
- General Information: This species of shark is found on the Pacific coast of North America, hiding in coral. They like corral because it gives protection and provides many sources of food. When the shark dies, it's body decomposes and helps form new corral for new sharks to live in.
- Size: The Leopard shark ranges from 3-6 feet in length.
- Teeth: Leopard sharks are "pavement-toothed". This means that their tooth sets form overlapping ridges between the different tooth rows. The pointed surfaces of the tooth ridges are capable of puncturing a wet suit, although there are no reports of a human ever being bitten by one of these sharks.
- Color: The Leopard is aptly named for it's distinctive markings...dark brown spots on a silvery background.
- Feeding Habits: These sharks feed on crustaceans, worms, small fish, and other organisms that they find in the reefs.
- Senses: This shark is endowed with good eyesight, a great sense of smell, and all of the other senses other sharks have. it's ability to detect the electric impulses given off by other living organisms aids it in finding food.
- Social Behaviour: Leopard sharks are schooling fish.
- Habitat | Migration | Distribution: Leopard sharks are found on the western coast of North America. They migrate annually from the coast of California to the northern bays of Oregon.
- Life Span: The oldest Leopard shark on record lived to be 25 years old.
- Reproduction: The young of the Leopard shark hatch while still inside the uterus. When they are free from the mothers body, they are one-hundred percent ready to fend for themselves. There are from 4-29 pups per litter, and are about 20 centimetres long at birth.
- Swimming: This species swims in an undulating fashion. They are active, strong little swimmers.
- Population Report: These sharks are fished for their sweet meat, but are found in abundance. This species is well managed, which puts it's population at a lower risk than some others.