What Breed of Shark Lays Eggs

The presence of sharks in blue oceans contributes to keeping marine life in a healthy balance. In spite of being killed in great numbers, sharks’ numbers aren’t declining, in part because of their rapid reproduction rate. We all have heard that sharks have different reproductive strategies, and many of them are known to give birth to live young. A little has been known about what breed of shark lays eggs.

A variety of marine animals, including bluefish, produce large quantities of eggs that can scatter throughout the ocean, sometimes being eaten by predators. When it comes to sharks, we have hundreds of species, and the reproductive strategies are not the same among all. If you are confused, go through the post answering whether sharks are mammals or do they lay eggs.  

While most sharks give live birth, there are some shark species that lay eggs. For that, we need to have a simple perception of how they reproduce. Before we list down the shark breed that lays eggs, let’s see how they mate.

Sharks mating behavior 

Male sharks mate by depositing sperm into the female’s reproductive tract using their claspers, and the process is known as internal fertilization. In essence, the fertilized eggs, after mating, can be laid by the mother, or they can either complete or partially develop inside the mother.

Considering this point in mind, it is clear that sharks lay eggs within the body of their mothers. After many sharks’ eggs are laid, they hatch outside the body without parental care.

In terms of shark reproduction, a few shark species are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live babies. Whereas the sharks that lay eggs are referred to as oviparous. As we are looking for breeds of sharks that lay eggs, let’s explore them out below.

Egg-Laying Sharks

It is believed that almost 40% of the sharks lay eggs out of the total species found in the world. Eggs are laid in the protective case called a mermaid’s purse, which protects them from the environment during their development. A nucleus can be seen developing in the mermaid’s purse, as the purse is typically slightly transparent.

In general, shark eggs are round with curly tendrils at the ends and fibers on the outer surface. You can likely tell the species of an egg case based on its size and shape if it washes up on a beach. Egg cases include tendrils that enable them to adhere to a substrate like coral, seaweed, or the seafloor.

It is thought that oviparous sharks receive nourishment from their yolk sacs for a considerable amount of time before they fledge. In this way, the young have a chance to grow to their full maturity. 

Coming back to the main question, what species comes in 40% of the total number of species? Let’s discuss a few of them below.

Which shark breed lays eggs?

As per WWF, Sharks and rays abound, with more than 1,000 species discovered annually. It won’t be possible to mention each of the shark species that lay eggs; however, the most well-known are discussed below.

Bamboo sharks

This small shark is rarely seen and usually has a long tail. White-spotted and brown-banded are the two variants of bamboo sharks, of which both are oviparous. Female white-spotted bamboo sharks lay eggs that are approximately 5 inches long—the eggs hatch in 14 or 15 weeks.

Carpet sharks

This species of sharks are found in abundance in all oceans; however, in indo-specific, you will find them in huge numbers. Do also check out where sharks are found in Florida.

In addition to the smallmouth opening and the two dorsal fins, the carpet shark has five gills. The laying method for female carpet sharks is different for each type. In addition to the protective egg case discussed previously, female carpet sharks can also lay eggs without it. Nevertheless, some carpet shark species do give birth to live young.

Bullhead sharks

Belonging to an oviparous family, you will find nine distinct varieties when it comes to bullhead sharks. It is most common to find bullhead sharks inhabiting warm, tropical waters and searching for foodstuff along the seafloor. Its primary diet consists largely of mollusks, crustaceans, and sea urchins. Check out here the five things sharks eat. Bullhead sharks push the eggs down between cracks in rocks at the bottom of the ocean to save them from perverts, where the shape of the eggs is slightly pointed and oval-shaped.

Besides the species mentioned above, the swell sharks, wobbegong sharks, and catsharks are also known to be oviparous, which means they lay eggs.

Conclusion

Sharks that lay eggs are fewer in number than those that are viviparous – which gives birth to live young. However, you can see some of the famous variety of sharks, such as bullhead, carpet, and bamboo sharks lying in the category of egg-laying sharks. If someone asks you about what breed of shark lays eggs, you have got multiple names to answer.