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Animals

Gar

garDESCRIPTION: Gars are distinctive fish with longcylindrical-shaped bodies and heads with elongated jaws and needle-like teeth.Bony plates known as ganoid scales cover their bodies.
SIZE: Ranges from 0.76-4 m; depends on species.The alligator gar is one of the largest of all freshwater fishes, with onemeasuring 3 mlong and weighing 127 kg.
FUN FACTS:
  • This ancient family of fish has severalprimitive features, such as a skeletal system that contains a great deal ofcartilage instead of bone. Also, their vertebrae are opisthocoelous (anteriorconvex, posterior concave), which is a characteristic seen in reptiles. Thistype of vertebrae is found in no other fish species except those in theSemionotiformes order. Finally, gars have a swim bladder connected to theiresophagus, which acts like a lung. This allows gars to breathe air in stagnantwaters with little oxygen.
  • The rareganoid scales of the alligator gar are so hard that humans have used them forbreastplate armor, arrowheads, luggage, and even to cover the blades of woodenploughs.

Great Barracuda

barracudaDESCRIPTION: Silver cylindrical body with darkblotches and lighter side bands. Mouth is a prominent feature with its obviousconical teeth and large underslung jaw. Dorsal fins are widely separated.Slightly centrally cleft (emarginate) caudal fin
SIZE: 45.7-91.4 cm avg; 200 cm max
WEIGHT: 50 kg (110.2 lbs) max

Great White Shark

sharkCOMMONNAME: Great white shark, white shark,white pointer, white-death, mango-taniwha.
DESCRIPTION: Large-sized, predatory shark with rowsof serrated, triangular-shaped teeth. Generally darker on dorsal region andwhitish below.
MALE: External claspers located on the far undersideof the body - forward of the caudal fin - distinguish males.
SIZE: Average4.3-5.5 m.The largest great white ever documented, caught off the coast of Cuba,measured 6.4 m.
WEIGHT:Average680-1,800 kg
HABITAT: Great whitesharks favor temperate waters worldwide, primarily along coastlines.Additionally, they may be found in tropical and sub-tropical waters
FUN FACTS:
  • Although itis not the largest of all sharks, the great white is the largest predatoryshark. Some relatively harmless sharks, like the whale shark, are much largerthan the great white.
  • Scientists can easily identify theteeth of a great white shark. The upper teeth are large, broad, and triangular,while the lower teeth are slightly more slender. All the teeth are serrated.Like other sharks, a great white continually looses its teeth and replaces themwith new ones.
  • Though great white attacks on humansare well documented, they are generally rare. Recent studies suggest that greatwhites may find humans unpalatable. Attacks probably occur when a sharkmistakes a human for a seal or sea lion, the great white's principle prey.

List of Animals English Globe