[Animals] Sharks are millions of years older than dinosaurs, and five other surprising facts

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Sharks have scared the hell out of us this summer, mainly because of their alleged attacks on humans. However, humans are a greater threat to sharks than they are to us.
 

There are more than 500 species of sharks. They are as diverse as the dwarf lantern shark, which is smaller than a human hand, and the whale shark, which can grow as big as a school bus, said marine biologist Michael Heithaus, professor and dean of the College of Arts, Sciences and Education. from Florida International University in Miami. Since there are a large number of unique species, some characteristics may be true for one species but not for another.
 

Sharks have been around for hundreds of millions of years, and although they continue to evolve, they are also in serious danger. Due in large part to overfishing, shark and ray po[CENSORED]tions declined by 71.1% between 1970 and 2018, according to a 2021 study published in the academic journal Nature.
 

Greenland sharks are the longest-living vertebrates known on Earth, according to a 2016 study published in the journal Science. Researchers using radiocarbon dating determined that the North Atlantic species likely lives an average of at least 272 years, often not reaching maturity until 150 years of age.

Scientists have calculated that Greenland sharks can live at least 400 years.
 

The earliest evidence of shark fossils dates back 450 million years, meaning these creatures came into existence at least 90 million years before the trees and 190 million years before the dinosaurs.

Sharks have been around since before Pangea broke apart, said Catherine Macdonald, director of the Field School and professor at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Miami. (About 250 million years ago there was a single, gigantic continent called Pangea.)

Furthermore, sharks have survived five mass extinctions, one of which wiped out 96% of marine life.

Tiger sharks, one of Australia's top predators, can help ecosystems respond to extreme weather events. Prey for this species, including green sea turtles, seabirds, and rays, avoid shallow waters, often seagrass areas. As a result, the seagrass can grow like a bush and create a safe nursery area for young fish, shrimp and crabs, Heithaus said.

https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2022/07/27/tiburones-antiguos-cinco-datos-sorprendentes-trax/