Sharktober CREATURE FEATURE: leopard shark
- Naomi Deal
- Sep 27, 2022
- 2 min read
Bring on the chondrichthyes!
Marine Science Institute's mascot and the most common shark found in the San Francisco Bay area is the leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata). At typical maximum length, males reach up to 5 feet and females up to 6 feet, but these docile sharks have been recorded up to 7 feet in length. Leopard sharks are ovoviviparous---the process in which embryos develop inside eggs that hatch internally, thus, giving birth to live young. Shark pups feed on the egg's yolk sack during gestation, a period that lasts for 10-12 months. One litter could contain as few as 4 or as many as 30 pups!
Leopard sharks feed on crabs, worms, clams and other marine invertebrates until they reach a larger size. Once they grow they can then feed on a variety of fish. These shark's mouths are located under their heads which makes it easy to feed on benthic (bottom) dwellers. Shark teeth are unique and each species of sharks have rows of teeth so when they lose one or more the others will rotate forward. The arrangement of teeth in different sharks depends on what and where they are feeding. Leopard shark teeth are flat and over-lapping allowing easier feeding on clams and crabs.
Leopard shark's meat is consumed by humans and taken by both commercial and recreational fishers and are not considered to be a threatened species. According to the Current California Ocean Recreational Fishing Regulations, inside the San Francisco Bay, leopard shark fishing is open year-round to boat-based anglers, divers and shore-based anglers with bag and possession limit of 3 sharks with a minimum size limit of 36 inches in length. However, due to high levels of mercury contamination in the SF Bay, The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) does not recommend eating leopard sharks caught in the bay for women of child-bearing age and children. Check out the OEHHA Guide To Eating Fish From San Francisco Bay to learn more about what fish are healthy for us to eat, and the appropriate serving sizes.
Updated by Tiffany Murzi
Resources and References:
Leopard shark. Animal Guide. Animals & Exhibits at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. (September 2022) http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animal-guide/fishes/leopard-shark
Arkive Wildscreen. Leopard shark. (September 2022) http://www.arkive.org/leopard-shark/triakis-semifasciata/
Current California Ocean Recreational Fishing Regulations. Marine Region (Region 7) (September, 2022). https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Fishing-Map/sf-bay#leopard
Booking a Delhi Escort through this agency was one of the easiest experiences I’ve had. The Delhi Escorts Service is efficient, reliable, and ensures complete satisfaction through genuine Escort Girls in Delhi.
Hi there! Nice post! Please tell us when I will see a follow up! Check our best custom fencing services Langley.
The Sharktober Creature Feature highlighting the leopard shark is a fascinating reminder of ocean diversity. Leopard sharks, with their distinctive spotted patterns, glide gracefully along the Pacific coast, capturing attention not only for their beauty but also for their ecological importance. Just as these sharks have unique patterns, an embroidery digitizer brings out intricate details in custom designs, translating creativity into stitches with precision. Leopard sharks symbolize adaptability and resilience—qualities every embroidery digitizer values when creating high-quality artwork. Celebrating Sharktober with the leopard shark showcases both marine wonder and the artistry of translating natural inspiration into embroidered designs.
i read a lot of stuff and i found that the way of writing to clearifing that exactly want to say was very good so i am impressed and ilike to come again in future.. Interesting post. I Have Been wondering about this issue, so thanks for posting. Pretty cool post.It 's really very nice and Useful post.Great Article it its really informative and innovative keep us posted with new updates. its was really valuable. thanks a lot. Thanks
메이저놀이터
This article is highly informative and well-presented. I am thoroughly impressed with the quality and presentation of the content. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the author’s diligent efforts in crafting it. Thank you for sharing. I’d really like to appreciate the efforts you get with writing this post. Thanks for sharing.
토토