You can often hear that there are sharks in our seas. What are they and do they pose a danger to humans? In the Black Sea, for example, there is a katran, or a cat shark. Today we will talk about it. The fact that this is a predator is indicated by its small teeth, of which there are a lot in the shark's mouth. But the modest size of the fish assures us: the katran does not pose a threat to human life. And can he grab his finger, smelling the smell of blood? We will talk about this in our article. Read all about the numerous cat-shark family below. After all, the Black Sea katran has close relatives. For example, scylium. This cat shark also swims into the Black Sea through the Bosphorus. But it usually winters in warmer areas.
Classification of sharks
From all carcharine-like fishes, a rather extensive family of selachia is distinguished. This group is divided into three subclasses. The first is the striped cat sharks. It includes eight types. There is also a false cat shark. Only one species is known to scientists. And finally, the largest family of real cat sharks. These are fifteen genera, which are divided into almost one hundred and thirty species. It is not easy to make sense of such an abundance. Moreover, the cat shark is also called the "seadog" - because of the muzzle, which vaguely resembles a dog. This large family of predatory fish is very different from each other. There are species that are viviparous, and there are those that lay eggs in a hard shell - like chickens. According to the diet, cat sharks also do not adhere to unity. Most species hunt for small fish, but there are also those that prefer bottom fauna - crustaceans, mollusks, worms. Different color, size, habitat, shape of teeth - what do these predators have in common? Probably a resemblance to a cat.
Why are they called that
In principle, only the katran has a second name - "sea dog". All other fish of this species resemble land cats in body shape. They have a long, flexible and graceful body. The flattened head resembles that of a cat. Only ears and mustaches are missing. Yes, and their habits, like pussies. During the day they prefer to nap. Unless some careless fish swims right in front of your nose … Then the feline shark, gluttonous, like all its larger relatives, will make a lightning attack. But these predators hunt mainly at night. What allows them to see in the dark? The eyes of these species of sharks are large, like those of cats. However, they are not helped to navigate in the dark, but by light-sensitive sensors. They are located near the eyes. With the help of these sensors, the predator senses the presence of other living creatures - fish or crustaceans. There is an opinion that the cat shark has a vertical pupil. However, this is true only for some species. The light is focused on these palpebral fissures, which allowsIt is good for a predator to see at dusk. And this makes fish even more related to our furry pets.
Cat shark: some species. Katran
As noted above, the Selahii family is very numerous. We will describe here only some of the species. Let's start with our, domestic. Katran is a cat shark that lives in the Black Sea. She has other names as well. First of all, it is a sea dog, and also a marigold and a prickly shark. The fish deserved these last names because its entire body is covered with sharp spikes. You can get hurt on them. And the katran is called a sea dog because of the pointed rostrum. The color of this shark is dark gray on the back. The sides of the fish are lighter, and the belly is completely white. This voracious little shark rarely reaches a length of one meter. Although there are copies and under two. However, the katran feeds exclusively on anchovy. His mouth is curved, sickle-shaped, like all sharks. It is full of small teeth that grow in rows. In the warm season, the katran stays close to the shore, and in winter it goes to the depths. The female of this shark gives birth to up to fifteen live cubs.
Common cat shark
The photo of this fish allows you to compare it with the colorful inhabitants of coral reefs. However, the habitat of the common cat shark reaches tropical latitudes only in the southern edge. This species is found in the Atlantic Ocean - from Norway to Morocco. Sometimes, in summer, an ordinary cat shark also enters our Black Sea. The color of this small, up to a meter long, fish is very colorful. If we compare this representative of the Selahii with a cat, then we can say that her suit is a spotted tabby. The shark feeds on benthic crustaceans and molluscs. The female lays two to twenty hard-shelled eggs. They cling to rocks or algae with two angled horn filaments. The fry develop approximately the same time as the human embryo - nine months. Katran and common cat shark are of gastronomic interest for humans. There is no industrial fishing on them, but the Black Sea fishermen make delicious balyk from these species.
Australian Coral
This cat shark, whose photo is rather exotic, makes it a frequent inhabitant of aquariums. She does well in captivity. Small, up to 60 centimeters, the shark feeds on crustaceans and tiny fish that live near the Great Coral Reef off the coast of Australia. But this species is also found in shallow water, in rocky or sandy soils. There she leads a demeanor lifestyle. The fish reproduces by oviposition. The color of this shark is variegated, like most coral inhabitants. But the eyes are big and dark.
California shark
As the name implies, this species lives in the Pacific Ocean - off the coast of Mexico and the southern borders of the United States. The cat shark has a striped color, in addition, black spots go all over its body. The skin resembles sandpaper, and in some places there are sharp spikes. This fish reaches a length of one meter. But thanks to the greatmouth it can swallow quite large prey. It feeds mainly on fish. It is interesting how the California cat shark reacts to danger. She swallows a large amount of air, causing her to swell up like a ball. The suddenly increased size of the fish and especially the spikes on the body prevent the predator from swallowing it. After the danger has passed, these sharks float on the surface of the water like balls until they deflate.
Deep Sea Species
Usually these fish live in shallow water, although they lead a benthic lifestyle. But there are also species that are found at a depth of more than six hundred meters. For example, the black cat shark has a flattened, shovel-like snout due to water pressure. The color of these fish is adapted for hunting in complete darkness. Jet black or dark brown, it helps predators to sneak up close to their prey. Deep sea sharks are small fish. Their body length does not exceed a meter. These species, due to their habitat, are little studied. Of these, the Madeira black shark stands out. The species is distributed from this island north almost to Iceland. The flexible body of the fish has small fins in the tail section.
