Some have a corkscrew shape, some look like flat purses, others are like horns but they all have sticky mucus tendrils that the mother uses to “anchor” the eggcase to objects on the seabed such as reefs, seaweed, plants, in-between rocks, and so on. As a result, these eggs are commonly called “mermaid’s purse.” The eggs vary in appearance depending on the species of shark. The eggs contain the developing embryo and each egg is encased in a tough, leathery case that looks very much like a purse. Some sharks lay their already fertilized eggs in the water. There are actually 3 main types of shark reproduction (oviparity, ovoviparity, and viviparity), and 1 variant (asexual reproduction). Species like the small spotted catshark can store the sperm for up to 24 months. The males use seawater filled sacs in their bodies that act like a hydraulic pump to shoot the sperm as far up the female’s reproductive tract as possible.įertilization will occur right away while some species will store the semen in specialized glands for up to a year or more before using it to fertilize their ova. Male sharks have a pair of reproductive organs called “claspers.” Once the male is able to latch on properly to the female and immobilize her, he will then insert his clasper into the female opening called a “cloaca.” The clasper hooks into the cloaca firmly before the sperm is released. Small-spotted Catshark Foetus In An Eggcase (Author Sander van der Wel cc by-sa 2.0) The females of the blue shark and tiger sharks, for instance, have skin layers up to three times thicker than the males. Fortunately, female sharks have thicker skins than the males. Though this biting looks horrific, the male will not attempt to bite off the female’s skin or tissues. Since male sharks don’t have hands to hold on to the females, biting may actually be the most logical way to hold her in place during the process. It’s not uncommon to see female sharks with multiple bite marks on their bodies after a mating session. Male sharks will bite the head, gills or pectoral fin area of the females in order to mate. The biting continues during the actual mating too. Specifically, the male shark will bite the female shark to get her attention in preparation for mating, sometimes biting her even violently. All sharks practice some form of biting with different intensity. Shark mating is certainly not for the fainthearted. Shark Mating: A Dramatic Prelude To Shark Reproduction The embryos of some species eat their siblings in the womb!īut let’s start with one of the most jaw-dropping aspects of shark reproduction. The remaining minority of shark species reproduce in different ways by laying eggs, or even asexual “virgin” reproduction. For now, the common frilled shark holds the record for the longest gestation period of 3.5 years. Shark gestation periods average from just six months to 22 months. Basically, the pups face the harsh realities of the wild immediately they come out of her body. If not, she will gobble them up for a tasty snack. Most newly-born pups will quickly swim away from their mother. For such species, their young are born fully developed with the same features as the adults. The majority (about 70 percent) of known shark species alive today produce live young. The Frilled Shark Has The Longest Gestation Period (Author Opencage cc by-sa 2.5) Just like every other aspect of the shark world, shark reproduction is another fascinating subject.
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