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How to Identify and Classify Sharks - Exam
Contributed by: Wallis
  • 1. What is the primary characteristic used to initially identify a shark as a shark?
A) Scales similar to bony fish
B) Operculum (gill cover)
C) Bony skeleton
D) Cartilaginous skeleton
  • 2. Which fin is NOT found in all shark species?
A) Anal fin
B) Caudal fin
C) Pectoral fin
D) Dorsal fin
  • 3. What is the function of spiracles in some shark species?
A) To sense vibrations
B) To expel waste
C) To draw water into the gills
D) To detect electrical fields
  • 4. What type of scales do sharks possess?
A) Dermal denticles
B) Ctenoid scales
C) Cycloid scales
D) Ganoid scales
  • 5. The shape of which fin is most important for determining a shark's locomotion style?
A) Pectoral fin
B) Caudal fin
C) Dorsal fin
D) Pelvic fin
  • 6. Which of the following is a characteristic of a hammerhead shark?
A) Cephalofoil
B) Spines on dorsal fin
C) Luminous organs
D) Barbels
  • 7. What is the name for the sensory pores used for electroreception?
A) Spiracle
B) Lateral line
C) Ampullae of Lorenzini
D) Nictitating membrane
  • 8. What is the function of a nictitating membrane?
A) Olfactory reception
B) Depth perception
C) Protection of the eye
D) Sound detection
  • 9. What is the most common type of reproduction in sharks?
A) Ovoviviparity
B) Viviparity
C) Oviparity
D) Parthenogenesis
  • 10. Which family contains the goblin shark?
A) Squalidae
B) Lamnidae
C) Mitsukurinidae
D) Carcharhinidae
  • 11. What is the defining characteristic of sawsharks (Pristiophoridae)?
A) Elongated snout with lateral teeth
B) Extremely large size
C) Presence of barbels
D) Bioluminescence
  • 12. Which shark family includes the great white shark?
A) Lamnidae
B) Carcharhinidae
C) Squalidae
D) Orectolobidae
  • 13. What is the primary diet of whale sharks?
A) Seals
B) Plankton
C) Squid
D) Fish
  • 14. Which family are carpet sharks a part of?
A) Hexanchidae
B) Squatinidae
C) Orectolobidae
D) Rhincodontidae
  • 15. What is the defining characteristic of angelsharks (Squatinidae)?
A) Elongated snout
B) Flattened body
C) Six gills
D) Spiraled intestines
  • 16. How many gill slits do most sharks have?
A) Four
B) Six
C) Five
D) Seven
  • 17. Which shark has six gill slits?
A) Hexanchus griseus (Sixgill shark)
B) Carcharodon carcharias (Great white shark)
C) Sphyrna lewini (Scalloped hammerhead)
D) Rhincodon typus (Whale shark)
  • 18. What is the term for sharks that lay eggs?
A) Ovoviviparous
B) Asexual
C) Oviparous
D) Viviparous
  • 19. What is a 'mermaid's purse'?
A) A shark's heart
B) A shark's kidney
C) An egg case of some shark species
D) A shark's stomach
  • 20. Which of the following is a filter-feeding shark?
A) Mako shark
B) Bull shark
C) Tiger shark
D) Basking shark
  • 21. What is the primary function of the lateral line?
A) Sense of smell
B) Detecting electrical fields
C) Detecting vibrations in the water
D) Sense of taste
  • 22. What is the general body shape of a dogfish shark?
A) Torpedo-shaped
B) Flattened
C) Saw-shaped
D) Hammer-shaped
  • 23. What is the function of claspers in male sharks?
A) Reproduction
B) Sensing prey
C) Defense
D) Balance
  • 24. Which shark is known for its distinctive elongated upper caudal lobe?
A) Thresher shark
B) Lemon shark
C) Nurse shark
D) Reef shark
  • 25. Which of the following sharks is most likely to be found in freshwater?
A) Mako shark
B) Great white shark
C) Bull shark
D) Hammerhead shark
  • 26. What is the term for the tooth replacement system in sharks?
A) Diphyodont
B) Polyphyodont
C) Oligodont
D) Monophyodont
  • 27. What is the purpose of countershading in sharks?
A) Camouflage
B) Temperature regulation
C) Attracting mates
D) Defense against parasites
  • 28. Which shark has a 'wobbegong' as a common name?
A) Galeocerdo cuvier
B) Squalus acanthias
C) Cetorhinus maximus
D) Orectolobus maculatus
  • 29. What distinguishes megamouth sharks from other shark species?
A) Deep-sea bioluminescence
B) Spotted patterns
C) Large mouth and filter-feeding behavior
D) Hammer-shaped head
  • 30. Which body part is used to identify Port Jackson sharks?
A) Harness-like markings
B) Number of dorsal fins
C) Shape of caudal fin
D) Presence of an anal fin
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