| Sharks living on the sea bed like to hide. The colours and patterns on their skins help these sharks, such as wobbe-gong, swell, and angel sharks, to be camouflaged, or to blend in with their surroundings. They have blotches, spots, or stripes which make them difficult to see on sand, among rocks, sea-weeds, or corals on the sea bed. Wobbe-gongs have elaborate disguises with blotchy skins and lobes on their heads which look like bits of sea-weed. Other sharks, like swell sharks, hide in crevices, while angel sharks cover themselves with sand. Why hide if you are a shark with sharp teeth? These undercover sharks often lie in wait for prey, like fish and crabs, to move near, then snap them up. Also, hiding helps small sharks avoid being eaten by larger predators. |
