| A | B |
|---|
| adaptation | A trait that makes an organism better able to survive in an environment |
| ampullae of Lorenzini | Small pits on the shark's snout that are natural electrical sensors which can detect electrical fields |
| apex predator | An organism that is at the top of the food chain and that has no natural predators that hunt them |
| cartilage | A tough, flexible tissue that makes up the shark's skeleton |
| conservation | All the practices that wisely use and protect natural resources |
| denticles | Small tooth-like structures similar to scales that cover the shark's body |
| dorsal fin | The fin on the back of a shark that helps it to balance and steer |
| electric field | A weak current of electricity given off by an organism |
| electroreceptor | Small sense organs in the skin that detect weak electrical currents |
| energy pyramid | A drawing that shows the amount of energy available at each level of a food chain |
| food chain | The transfer of energy in the form of food from one organism to another |
| gills | Slit-like openings behind a shark's head where respiration takes place |
| lateral line | A network of sensory clusters and fluid-filled canals that extend along the sides of the shark and help it to detect motion in the water |
| migration | The seasonal movement of animals from one location to another |
| niche | The role of an organism in an ecosystem |
| nictitating membrane | A thin, tough membrane or inner eyelid that can cover the eye to protect it from damage |
| oviparity | Laying eggs that are fertilized internally; the eggs contain a yolk supply |
| ovoviviparity | Giving birth to live young which hatch from eggs in the mother's body |
| pectoral fin | Paired fins located near the gill slits that are used for lift and movement control |
| pelagic | Of the open sea |
| predator | An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food |
| prey | The animal that is hunted |
| spiracle | A small opening behind the shark's eyes that sometimes helps it to breathe |
| swim bladder | An air-filled sac in fishes that help them float which is absent in sharks |
| viviparity | Giving birth to live young which develop with a placenta and an umbilical cord |
