can sharks touch the ocean floor?

Answer 1

There are species of sharks that swim along the ocean floor, so the answer is yes.

Answer 2

Seems like you are geting some confusing answers here. But most answerers are right, sharks can touch the ocean floor. Whether they do or not depends, however, largely on the species and their lifestyle. There are numerous species that are bottom dwellers and continously live on the ocean floor. Numerous species have been found in the deep sea. So, the short answer to your question is yes.

I am suspecting tough, that you ask primarily about the old myth that sharks have to swim all the time or else they will drown. According to the myth, a shark cannot breath unless swimming forward and thus pushing water over its gills. While this is indeed the preferred method for many sharks, in particular for pelagic - or open water - species, sharks can actually actively breath.

Most teleost fishes (bony fish) have a bone called the operculum, which covers the gill opening. By moving the operculum outwards, water is sucked into the mouth cavity. Upon closing of the mouth this oxygen rich water is pressed through the gill opening to the otside, thus being moved across the gills where the gas exchange can take place. This is active breathing in fishes.

Sharks don't have an operculum, and the gill slits are pretty much open. However, there is a bit of skin that covers them, and so by opening their mouth and sucking water in, then closing their mouth and pushing water throught the gill slits, sharks can actually achieve active breathing as well.

The stories of sharks dying immediately when sinking to the bottom are not true.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Not only does it depends on the species, but it depends on the depth of the "ocean floor." In some places, it is much deeper than others. We can't be sure if there are sharks at the very depth, since we have a long way to go before cataloging all the creatures in the deep sea.

Answer 4

There is a Nurse shark at my work that lives at the bottom of the tank. So my answer is yes.

Answer 5

Some crawl on the floor. e

Answer 6

Some. It depends on the species.