Sharks are assumed to be the most skillful predators among all living genres. They are hyper intelligent and characterized by intrigued features. They have evolved into some impregnable senses of sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste, and electromagnetism. Their enigmatic performance against their prey has earned them names as the number one predators of the ocean.
Sharks have been differentiated from other ocean creatures by their anatomical as well as morphological features. They have been created with a cartilaginous skeleton that is strong enough to make them the most proficient hunters yet much more pliable enough to bend effortlessly.
Sharks have gotten the fully equipped skin with some tremendous features that make it perfectly bulletproof. Let us have a look at what it is primarily composed of and what makes it the deadliest creature of the ocean.
Composition of Shark’s skin
Sharks are composed of very unique skin textures, unlike other bony fishes. Its external layer of skin is almost 6 inches in width, which makes it too resilient to get attacked. Superficially, its skin resembles sandpaper because of the scales they are composed of, which are arranged in a very smooth manner. But it is not as flattened as it looks. It is just too sharp that if a creature comes in contact with these scales, it can get severely injured.
Sharks have evolved into very specialized scales, namely dermal or placoid scales which are primarily composed of hollow cones of dentine covered by an inner core of pulp in which blood vessels, nerves, and some connective tissues are present. Externally, they are enveloped in apatite, which is a very resilient and crystalline mineral.
These scales are V-shaped, tiny tooth-like structures that are closely packed together and aligned towards the caudal end. The key feature of these scales is that they don’t grow in size throughout life like bony fishes; rather, they just increase mitotically in numbers.
How does a shark’s skin help it to survive?
Although Sharks are considered to be the deadliest fish in the entire ocean still for sharks, there are some factors enough to get scared of.
Increasing Demand For Shark Liver Oil
One of the major fears of sharks is getting caught up by humans. The increasing demand for fish liver oil compels humans to hunt a shark as it is rich in vitamin A which plays a key role in optical health. Shark’s liver is 25% of its entire body weight.
It helps the immune system to perform profoundly well. It is used in pharmaceuticals to control cancer and x-ray therapy side effects. In order to overcome these necessities of human lives, the hunting of sharks has been greatly increased.
How does a shark’s defense system work?
Intending to shield themselves from being caught, sharks have developed some extraordinary senses of sight, touch, smell, hearing, and sometimes even electromagnetism. Sharks’ skin plays a major role in safeguarding them. The skin is the greatest armor of sharks because its six-inch thickened skin is enough to bounce back any deadly incursion and makes it exquisitely bulletproof.
Their techniques to tackle threats are phenomenal. The powerful reflexes don’t let the other party do any damage. Larger sharks take advantage of being too huge. They just dissuade their prey by being too fierce to entwine with.
How does shark’s skin accommodate them to move quickly?
Apart from being too defensive, the skin helps the shark to make quick moves while splashing around its natural habitat. Some specific genres of sharks are considered to be the Cheetahs of the Ocean because they are somehow capable of swimming at 100Km/hr. The specialized minute denticles and streamlined shape accommodate them to be this swift. They not only enhance the defense system but also lessen the hydrodynamic drag of sharks.
They buoyancy to swim at very high speed, make swift turns and bends, change the paths of water floating around them, and terminate their journey suddenly. These features make sharks the most proficient predators. The friction of water that passes through the grooves is lessened by the streamlined physique of sharks.
Conclusion
The shark is the king of the ocean. This deadliest creature has highly developed senses that help in predating the prey more profoundly. The secret of being the most monstrous creature of the ocean lies in the six-inch thick skin of sharks that makes it perfectly bulletproof. Sharks’ skin is mainly composed of minute tooth-like scales called dermal denticles or placoid scales with a sandpaper-type texture that makes sharks outpower all other living creatures of the ocean.