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Research draft

shark

vr.tr.shark · PHY.LIV

Let an agent explain sharks and their biology, relay diversity, evolution and conservation from ichthyological sources, describe sharks as food and in fisheries with regulation attributed, and distinguish sharks from rays, bony fishes and dolphins and from exaggerated fears.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain sharks and their biology, relay diversity, evolution and conservation from ichthyological sources, describe sharks as food and in fisheries with regulation attributed, and distinguish sharks from rays, bony fishes and dolphins and from exaggerated fears.

A group of cartilaginous fishes of the subclass Elasmobranchii characterised by a cartilaginous skeleton, five to seven gill slits, pectoral fins not fused to the head and skin covered in dermal denticles, ranging from the dwarf lanternshark to the whale shark, the largest fish, with over 500 living species and a fossil record of more than 400 million years including extinct forms such as Paracestracion; sharks are apex and mesopredators in marine ecosystems, are fished for meat, fins and other products, and many species are threatened by overfishing.

What it is for: Not applicable; an animal group.

It can be explain biology and diversity; relay evolution and conservation; describe fisheries and food; distinguish from similar animals.

Distinguishing features

Cartilaginous skeleton

Gill slits

Dermal denticles

Electroreception

What it looks like

Streamlined cartilaginous fishes with gill slits, a heterocercal tail and rough skin.

Physical character

living species: over 500 count

whale shark length: up to about 18 m

fossil record: over 400 million years

species threatened: about one third ratio - IUCN assessments

How it is recognised

Cartilaginous fish with gill slits and denticles

Over 500 species from lanternsharks to whale sharks; fossil sharks such as Paracestracion

Rays are flattened relatives; bony fishes have bone skeletons; dolphins are mammals

Related models

is a kind of - in registry terms

fish

is a kind of - in registry terms

fish as food

belongs to - with rays

Elasmobranchii

is threatened by - and finning

overfishing

In practice

Families and kinds

ground sharks such as requiem and hammerhead sharks

mackerel sharks such as the great white and mako

carpet sharks including the whale shark

dogfish and lanternsharks

angel, saw and other orders

extinct sharks such as Paracestracion and megalodon

sharks as food such as shark meat and fins

Identifiers

superorder Selachimorpha sharks

Standards and regulation

CITES listings for many shark species

Fisheries management and finning bans

Regional fisheries organisation rules

Food safety rules on mercury in shark meat

Failure modes and hazards

Exaggerated fear of shark attacks

Overfishing and finning

Mercury in shark meat

Confusing sharks with rays or dolphins

Also called

Paracestracion falcifer

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Also registered as vr.tr.shark-2

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What sharks are.

Science.

Definition

Definition and features.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What are sharks, and how do they differ from rays, bony fishes and marine mammals? definition
  2. Is the question about sharks in general, a species, sharks as food or safety? boundary

Diversity

Diversity.

Diversity

Diversity.

  1. What are the main shark orders and notable species, from lanternsharks to whale sharks? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific species? action
Biology Biology and evolution.

Science.

Biology

Biology.

Biology

Biology.

  1. How do sharks sense, feed, reproduce and migrate? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Evolution

Evolution.

Evolution

Evolution.

  1. How did sharks evolve, and what do fossils such as Paracestracion and megalodon show? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
People Sharks and people.

Attribution.

Fisheries

Fisheries and food.

Fisheries

Fisheries.

  1. How are sharks fished and eaten, and what rules govern finning and trade, with positions attributed? provenance
  2. Is the presentation neutral? boundary

Safety

Safety.

Safety

Safety.

  1. How rare are shark attacks, and what do experts advise? provenance
  2. Which entry fits shark attack? action
Context Conservation and culture.

Context.

Conservation

Conservation.

Conservation

Conservation.

  1. Which sharks are threatened, and what conservation measures exist? provenance
  2. Which entry fits shark conservation? action

Culture

Culture.

Culture

Culture.

  1. How are sharks portrayed in culture, from Pacific traditions to Jaws? provenance
  2. Which entry fits sharks in culture? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should shark finning and specific orders be separate primary entries?
  • How should ichthyological sources be linked?
  • The registry entry has a merged alias naming a fossil genus; should it be split off?