The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is one of the most well-known and formidable members of the class Chondrichthyes, which includes all cartilaginous fish. This species is renowned for its size, strength, and role as an apex predator in marine ecosystems. Great white sharks possess a streamlined body covered with placoid scales (dermal denticles), which reduce drag and allow for efficient swimming. Their teeth are highly specialized for cutting and tearing flesh, and they are continually replaced throughout the shark's life. Carcharodon carcharias can detect electrical fields produced by the muscle contractions of their prey, thanks to specialized sensory organs called the ampullae of Lorenzini. They primarily feed on marine mammals, fish, and seabirds, using ambush tactics facilitated by their excellent senses of smell, sight, and electroreception. Great white sharks are found in coastal and offshore waters, typically between 12 and 24 degrees Celsius, and they undertake long migrations across oceans.
*Carcharodon carcharias* are members of the class Chondrichthyes, which includes cartilaginous fish.
The great white shark is scientifically known as *Carcharodon carcharias*.
Great white sharks have placoid scales, electroreception, and continually replace their teeth.
Source Material
Author: Florida Museum of Natural History
Document: Great White Shark: Carcharodon carcharias
Date Published: 2024
Appearance and Size
Great white sharks are instantly recognizable by their robust, torpedo-shaped bodies, which are gray to bluish on the dorsal side and stark white underneath—a coloration pattern called countershading that provides camouflage. Adults typically range from 3.5 to 6 meters (11 to 20 feet) in length, with some individuals exceeding 7 meters. Mature females are generally larger than males, with females reaching up to 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds) and males somewhat lighter. Their powerful tails enable bursts of speed up to 25 miles per hour, crucial for ambush predation. The skin is covered with placoid scales (dermal denticles) that reduce water resistance, enhance swimming efficiency, and provide protection.
- Streamlined, torpedo-shaped body with countershading (gray/blue dorsal, white ventral)
- Adult size: 3.5 to 6 meters; some exceed 7 meters
- Mature females larger and heavier than males
- Placoid scales for hydrodynamics and protection
Great white sharks have placoid scales, characteristic of cartilaginous fish.
Adult great white sharks typically range from 3.5 to 6 meters in length.
Source Material
Author: Florida Museum of Natural History
Document: Great White Shark
Date Published: 2024
Teeth and Feeding
Great white sharks possess rows of sharp, triangular, serrated teeth designed for slicing through flesh and bone. Teeth are arranged in multiple rows; front teeth perform most of the cutting, while back rows serve as replacements to maintain effectiveness throughout the shark’s life. This continual tooth replacement is an adaptation to their active predatory lifestyle. As apex predators, they consume a diverse diet—juveniles mainly eat fish and rays, whereas adults focus on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and dolphins. Their predation strategy frequently involves ambush attacks from below, utilizing their countershaded bodies for stealth.
- Teeth: Triangular, serrated, in multiple rows; continuous replacement
- Juveniles eat mainly fish and rays; adults prefer marine mammals
- Employ ambush predation using countershading camouflage
Adult great white sharks primarily feed on marine mammals.
Great white sharks use their sharp, serrated teeth for cutting and tearing prey.
Sensory Adaptations
Great white sharks excel in detecting prey due to remarkable sensory adaptations:
- Olfactory senses can detect blood concentrations as low as one part per million, enabling them to trace scent over long distances.
- Ampullae of Lorenzini are electroreceptors that sense the faint electrical fields produced by the muscle contractions of nearby animals, crucial for detecting prey during low visibility.
- Lateral line system detects water vibrations and movements, alerting sharks to potential prey or predators.
- Exceptional eyesight optimized for both bright and dim conditions, including some color vision capabilities.
These combined senses enable great white sharks to locate prey with extraordinary precision in diverse environments.
Great white sharks rely on olfaction, electroreception, and their lateral line to locate prey.
The ampullae of Lorenzini are electroreceptive organs enabling sharks to detect electric fields.
Source Material
Author: NOAA Ocean Service
Document: How Do Sharks Sense Their Prey?
Date Published: 2023
Distribution and Habitat
Great white sharks have a worldwide distribution, inhabiting coastal and offshore waters in temperate and subtropical regions. They are frequently found along the coasts of the United States (California and the Northeast), South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Their preferred water temperature ranges between 12°C and 24°C. Great whites are known for extensive migrations, sometimes traveling thousands of kilometers between feeding, mating, and nursery areas. Juveniles tend to occupy shallower, coastal nurseries, while adults are more often found in deeper waters.
- Cosmopolitan distribution in temperate and subtropical oceans
- Common regions: U.S. coasts, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Mediterranean
- Favor water temperatures between 12°C and 24°C
- Exhibit long-distance migratory behavior
Great white sharks are typically found in temperate and subtropical coastal waters.
Reproduction and Lifespan
Great white sharks are ovoviviparous: embryos develop inside eggs that hatch within the mother's uterus, and the young are born as fully formed, miniature sharks. Females give birth to litters typically ranging from 2 to 10 pups. Embryos exhibit intrauterine cannibalism (adelphophagy), where stronger embryos consume weaker siblings or unfertilized eggs, ensuring that the most viable offspring survive. Sexual maturity is reached around 10 to 15 years, with a lifespan estimated at 70 years or more, making them one of the longest-lived shark species.
- Reproductive mode: Ovoviviparous
- Litter size: 2–10 pups
- Embryos practice intrauterine cannibalism (adelphophagy)
- Sexual maturity: 10–15 years; lifespan: up to 70+ years
Great white sharks are ovoviviparous, with pups born live after hatching internally.
Great white sharks reach sexual maturity between 10 and 15 years of age.
Source Material
Author: National Geographic
Document: Great White Shark: Life History
Date Published: 2024
Conservation Status
Due to their slow growth rate, late sexual maturity, and low reproductive output, great white sharks are vulnerable to population declines from overfishing, bycatch, and habitat degradation. They are targeted for their fins, teeth, and jaws in some regions, and are also affected by accidental capture in commercial fisheries. Global conservation efforts include protective legislation, marine protected areas, and international trade regulations under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species). Despite these measures, many populations remain at risk, and ongoing research and monitoring are vital for their long-term survival.
- Vulnerable due to slow growth, late maturity, and low reproduction
- Threats: Overfishing, bycatch, habitat loss, fin trade
- Protected by laws, marine reserves, and CITES regulations
- Populations remain fragile; continued conservation needed
Great white sharks are vulnerable due to slow growth, late maturity, and low reproductive rates.
Great white sharks are protected under CITES, which regulates international trade of endangered species.
Conclusion
Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are extraordinary predators with specialized adaptations that have enabled their success for millions of years. Their impressive sensory systems, efficient body design, and complex reproductive strategies make them iconic representatives of cartilaginous fish. However, their biological traits also make them vulnerable to human impacts, underscoring the importance of continued conservation efforts.
- Great whites use electroreception, olfaction, and lateral lines for precise prey detection.
- They are distributed worldwide in temperate and subtropical marine environments.
- Conservation is critical due to their slow reproduction and sensitivity to overfishing.
*Carcharodon carcharias* is the scientific name for the great white shark.
Great white sharks are members of the class Chondrichthyes.
Great white sharks have placoid scales, electroreception, and continuously replacing teeth.
Great white sharks are typically found in temperate and subtropical marine waters.
Great white sharks are ovoviviparous, with pups born live after internal egg hatching.
They are vulnerable due to slow maturation and low reproductive rates.