Sharks & Rays

Name:

Date:

Instructions: Explore the world of sharks and rays, ancient predators that have roamed the oceans for hundreds of millions of years.

1.
How long have sharks existed on Earth?
A
50 million years
B
150 million years
C
450 million years
D
300 million years
2.
What is the largest species of shark alive today?
A
Basking shark
B
Whale shark
C
Great white shark
D
Hammerhead shark
3.
Shark skeletons are made entirely of what material instead of bone?
A
Keratin
B
Cartilage
C
Chitin
D
Calcium
4.
The hammerhead shark's wide head helps it with what ability?
A
Swimming faster
B
Breaking through coral
C
Enhanced electroreception and wider field of vision
D
Attracting mates
5.
Which ray species can deliver a powerful electric shock of up to 220 volts?
A
Stingray
B
Electric ray
C
Eagle ray
D
Manta ray
6.
The great white shark can detect a single drop of blood in how much water?
A
25 gallons
B
A million drops of water
C
A bathtub
D
A swimming pool
7.
Manta rays are the largest rays in the world. What do they primarily eat?
A
Seaweed
B
Plankton and small crustaceans
C
Small fish
D
Coral
8.
How many rows of teeth can a shark go through in its lifetime?
A
Hundreds
B
Dozens
C
Tens of thousands
D
Thousands
9.
The cookiecutter shark gets its name from doing what?
A
Having spots that look like cookies
B
Taking round, cookie-shaped bites from larger animals
C
Living near bakeries on shore
D
Its circular body shape
10.
Which shark species is known for being able to survive in both salt and fresh water?
A
Bull shark
B
Reef shark
C
Tiger shark
D
Nurse shark
11.
The Greenland shark is notable for what remarkable characteristic?
A
It can live for over 400 years
B
It glows in the dark
C
It's the fastest shark
D
It's the smallest shark
12.
What special organ allows sharks to detect the electrical fields of other animals?
A
Denticles
B
Spiracles
C
Lateral line
D
Ampullae of Lorenzini
13.
The basking shark is the second-largest fish. How does it feed?
A
Filter feeding with its enormous mouth open
B
Hunting large prey
C
Scavenging the ocean floor
D
Eating coral
14.
Stingrays have their venomous stinger located where on their body?
A
On their fins
B
On their back
C
On their tail
D
On their mouth
15.
Approximately how many known species of sharks exist today?
A
250
B
100
C
1,000
D
500

Answer Key

Question 1

C. 450 million years

Question 2

B. Whale shark

Question 3

B. Cartilage

Question 4

C. Enhanced electroreception and wider field of vision

Question 5

B. Electric ray

Question 6

A. 25 gallons

Question 7

B. Plankton and small crustaceans

Question 8

C. Tens of thousands

Question 9

B. Taking round, cookie-shaped bites from larger animals

Question 10

A. Bull shark

Question 11

A. It can live for over 400 years

Question 12

D. Ampullae of Lorenzini

Question 13

A. Filter feeding with its enormous mouth open

Question 14

C. On their tail

Question 15

D. 500

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