white Shark

The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is a sort of shark lamniforme, being the larger predator fish existing today. A great white shark can reach 7.5 meters in length and weigh up to 2.5 tons. This species lives in coastal waters of all oceans, provided there is adequate populations of their prey, particularly pinnipeds. This species is the only one that survives today, the genus Carcharodon.

The species Carcharodon carcharias receives many names throughout its distribution area. In Spanish, the most common denominations are shark blanco (white shark) and gran blanco shark (great white shark) (the latter influenced by the official name in English, great white shark) .1

In Spain, the traditional name of medieval origin identifies him as jaquetón (augmentative jack, check in Portuguese), a name accompanied by distinct adjectives also apply to many other species of the family Carcharhinidae. There is also the name jaquetón blanco (white jaquetón), derived from the merger of the former name and the shark blanco (white shark), more popular nowadays. The name marrajo, as it is sometimes called in Spanish speaking countries, can lead to confusion with other species of shark.

In Uruguay, is also given the name of "African" to this specialist. In other countries there are denominations most truculent as "man-eater" in Cuba. In the latter country, is also known as jaquetón ley (jaquetón law), a name that, in Spain, is reserved for the species Carcharhinus longimanus.