Taiwan angelshark

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/taiwan-angelshark

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Taiwan angelshark?Adults typically reach lengths of 1 to 2 meters
2. What is the scientific name?Squatina formosa
3. What is the diet?Carnivore; preys on benthic fish and invertebrates, utilizing ambush tactics
4. Why is the Taiwan angelshark endangered?It is critically endangered because many are caught accidentally in fishing nets. The nets meant for other fish trap the angelshark even though it is not a target.
5. How does the Taiwan angelshark hide?It buries itself in sandy or muddy sea floor, using its flat shape and camouflage to stay still and surprise its prey.

Demersal: Referring to organisms that inhabit the bottom of a body of water, such as the ocean floor.
Dorsoventral Flattening: A body shape characterized by being flattened from the top (dorsal) to the bottom (ventral).
Anthropogenic Pressures: Environmental changes or impacts caused by human activities.
Benthic Invertebrates: Animals without a backbone that live on or in the seabed.