Shark vs. Dolphin: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Sharks are cartilaginous fish with gill slits and pointed fins, while dolphins are mammals with lungs and a single blowhole for breathing.
Key Differences
Sharks are a group of elasmobranch fish characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton and gill slits on each side of their body. Dolphins are marine mammals, part of the Cetacea family, which includes whales and porpoises.
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Sharks typically have a streamlined body, sharp teeth, and multiple gill slits, with most species being cold-blooded. Dolphins have a fusiform body, a single blowhole, and are warm-blooded, maintaining a constant body temperature.
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Sharks breathe underwater through gills, extracting oxygen from water. Dolphins, being mammals, have lungs and need to surface periodically to breathe air through their blowhole.
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Shark reproduction varies with some species laying eggs (oviparous) and others giving live birth (viviparous). Dolphins give live birth and nurse their young with milk produced by the mother.
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Sharks are generally solitary hunters, relying on their keen senses to locate prey. Dolphins are known for their high intelligence, complex social structures, and cooperative hunting strategies.
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Comparison Chart
Body Structure
Streamlined body, multiple gill slits
Fusiform body, single blowhole
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Breathing
Gills for underwater breathing
Lungs, breathes air through blowhole
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Behavior
Solitary hunters, rely on keen senses
Highly social, intelligent, cooperative
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Shark and Dolphin Definitions
Shark
A shark is a cartilaginous, aquatic predator known for its sharp teeth and dorsal fin.
The great white shark is one of the most formidable predators in the ocean.
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Dolphin
Dolphins are intelligent marine mammals known for their playful behavior and acrobatics.
The dolphins leaped out of the water, delighting the onlookers with their acrobatics.
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Shark
Many shark species are apex predators, playing a crucial role in marine ecosystems.
The tiger shark, an apex predator, helps maintain the balance in its marine habitat.
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Dolphin
As mammals, dolphins breathe air, nurse their young, and have warm-blooded bodies.
The mother dolphin surfaced to breathe and nurse her calf.
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Shark
Sharks have a sensory system that detects electrical signals in the water.
Sharks use their advanced sensory system to detect prey even at great distances.
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Dolphin
Some dolphin species are known for their remarkable intelligence and ability to learn.
The bottlenose dolphin is famous for its problem-solving skills and ability to learn complex tasks.
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Shark
Some sharks are migratory, traveling long distances for feeding and breeding.
The whale shark migrates thousands of miles to reach its breeding grounds.
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Dolphin
Any of various marine toothed whales of the family Delphinidae, having a beaklike snout, a curved dorsal fin, and a slender streamlined body.
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Shark
Any of numerous cartilaginous fishes of the subclass Elasmobranchii that are chiefly carnivorous and marine. Sharks have a streamlined torpedolike body, five to seven gill openings on each side of the head, a large oil-filled liver, and tough skin covered with small toothlike scales.
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Dolphin
Any of several toothed whales inhabiting rivers and estuaries in South America and South Asia, having a long narrow beak, broad flippers, a flexible neck, and usually a reduced dorsal fin. A species native to the Yangtze River is thought to be extinct. Also called river dolphin.
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Shark
(Informal)A person, such as a loan shark, who takes advantage of the misfortune of others for personal gain.
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Shark
(Informal)A person unusually skilled in a particular activity
A card shark.
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Shark
To take advantage of others for personal gain, especially by fraud and trickery.
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Dolphin
A group of piles used as a fender, as at a dock or around a bridge pier.
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Shark
(ichthyology) A scaleless, predatory fish of the superorder Selachimorpha, with a cartilaginous skeleton and 5 to 7 gill slits on each side of its head.
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Dolphin
A carnivorous aquatic mammal in one of several families of order Cetacea, famed for its intelligence and occasional willingness to approach humans.
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Dolphin
Tursiops truncatus, (Atlantic bottlenose dolphin) the most well-known species.
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Shark
A university student who is not a fresher that has engaged in sexual activity with a fresher; usually habitually and with multiple people.
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Dolphin
A fish, the mahi-mahi or dorado, Coryphaena hippurus, with a dorsal fin that runs the length of the body, also known for iridescent coloration.
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Shark
Someone who exploits others, for example by trickery, lies, usury, extortion.
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Dolphin
(heraldry) A depiction of a fish, with a broad indented fin, usually embowed.
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Dolphin
(history) A mass of iron or lead hung from the yardarm, in readiness to be dropped through the deck and the hull of an enemy's vessel to sink it.
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Shark
(informal) A relentless and resolute person or group, especially in business.
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Shark
(informal) A very good poker or pool player. Compare fish (a bad poker player).
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Dolphin
(nautical) A spar or buoy held by an anchor and furnished with a ring to which ships may fasten their cables.
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Dolphin
(nautical) A permanent fender designed to protect a heavy boat or coastal structure from the impact of large floating objects such as ice or floating logs.
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Shark
Of a university student who is not a fresher, to engage in sexual activity with a fresher, or to be at a bar or club with the general intention of engaging in such activity.
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Dolphin
(nautical) A man-made semi submerged maritime structure, usually installed to provide a fixed structure for temporary mooring, to prevent ships from drifting to shallow water or to serve as base for navigational aids.
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Dolphin
A cetacean of the genus Delphinus and allied genera (esp. Delphinus delphis); the true dolphin.
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Dolphin
The Coryphæna hippuris, a fish of about five feet in length, celebrated for its surprising changes of color when dying. It is the fish commonly known as the dolphin. The term is also applied to the related Coryphaena equisetis. Called also dolphinfish and (especially in Hawaii) mahimahi. See also dolphinfish and Coryphænoid.
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Dolphin
A mass of iron or lead hung from the yardarm, in readiness to be dropped on the deck of an enemy's vessel.
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Shark
Any one of numerous species of elasmobranch fishes of the order Plagiostomi, found in all seas.
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Dolphin
In old ordnance, one of the handles above the trunnions by which a cannon was lifted.
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Dolphin
Large slender food and game fish widely distributed in warm seas (especially around Hawaii)
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Dolphin
Any of various small toothed whales with a beaklike snout; larger than porpoises
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Shark
To play the petty thief; to practice fraud or trickery; to swindle.
Neither sharks for a cup or a reckoning.
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Dolphin
Dolphins use echolocation to navigate and hunt in murky waters.
The dolphin emitted high-pitched sounds, using echolocation to find fish.
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Dolphin
Dolphins are highly social animals, often living in groups called pods.
A pod of dolphins worked together to herd a school of fish.
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Shark
Any of numerous elongate mostly marine carnivorous fishes with heterocercal caudal fins and tough skin covered with small toothlike scales
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Shark
Sharks are characterized by their multiple gill slits and lack of bones.
The shark glided silently, its gill slits efficiently extracting oxygen from the water.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can sharks breathe air?
No, sharks cannot breathe air; they extract oxygen from water through their gills.
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How do dolphins communicate?
Dolphins communicate using a variety of sounds, whistles, and body movements.
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Do dolphins live in freshwater or saltwater?
Most dolphins live in saltwater, but some species inhabit freshwater rivers.
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How long can sharks live?
Shark lifespans vary by species, some living for over 30 years.
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What do sharks eat?
Sharks are carnivorous, eating fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and sometimes larger mammals or birds.
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Are sharks fish or mammals?
Sharks are fish, specifically cartilaginous fish.
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Do dolphins have natural predators?
Dolphins' main predators include larger sharks and sometimes orcas.
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How many species of sharks are there?
There are over 400 species of sharks.
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Can sharks be found in all oceans?
Sharks inhabit most oceanic waters, from shallow to deep seas.
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Are dolphins friendly to humans?
Dolphins are generally curious and friendly towards humans but are still wild animals.
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How do dolphins breathe?
Dolphins breathe through their blowhole located on the top of their head.
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Do sharks have good eyesight?
Sharks generally have good eyesight, especially in clear waters.
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Are dolphins endangered?
Some dolphin species are endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, and fishing.
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How do sharks reproduce?
Sharks reproduce either by laying eggs (oviparous) or giving live birth (viviparous).
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Can dolphins sleep underwater?
Dolphins can sleep underwater, surfacing for air when needed.
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Are all sharks dangerous to humans?
Not all sharks are dangerous to humans; most shark species have never been involved in attacks on humans.
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How do dolphins use echolocation?
Dolphins emit sound waves that bounce off objects, helping them navigate and find food.
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Do sharks have bones?
No, sharks do not have bones; their skeletons are made of cartilage.
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What role do dolphins play in the ecosystem?
Dolphins play a vital role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosystems as predators and prey.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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