Bing Quiz › All quizzes › Shark Quiz
Shark Quiz: 12 Questions About Sharks
Sharks have patrolled the oceans for more than 400 million years, longer than trees have existed on land. This shark quiz has 12 questions on their senses, species and role in the sea.
Lemon sharks and their mangrove nurseries were the subject of a recent Bing Homepage Quiz, so they are covered here too.
Play the Shark Quiz
Pick A, B or C for each question. The right answer turns green and a short fact explains it.
Shark Quiz Questions and Answers
Every question with its answer and explanation. Open “Show answer” after you guess.
1 Which habitat shelters young lemon sharks as they grow?
- A Arctic ice
- B Deep ocean trenches
- C Mangrove forests
Show answer
✓ Answer: C. Mangrove forests
Did you know? Mangrove roots offer shallow, protected nurseries.
2 What is the largest shark species?
- A Whale shark
- B Tiger shark
- C Great white shark
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. Whale shark
Did you know? Whale sharks eat plankton and small fish by filtering water.
3 What are shark skeletons made of?
- A Shell
- B Cartilage
- C Bone
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Cartilage
Did you know? Cartilage is lighter and more flexible than bone.
4 Which organs let sharks sense electric fields from other animals?
- A Gill rakers
- B Ampullae of Lorenzini
- C Swim bladders
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Ampullae of Lorenzini
Did you know? These jelly-filled pores are concentrated around the snout.
5 What is the biggest threat to shark populations worldwide?
- A Volcanic activity
- B Cold winters
- C Overfishing
Show answer
✓ Answer: C. Overfishing
Did you know? Tens of millions of sharks are caught each year, including as bycatch.
6 Why are healthy shark populations important for coral reefs?
- A They eat coral
- B They produce oxygen
- C They keep food webs in balance
Show answer
✓ Answer: C. They keep food webs in balance
Did you know? Predators help regulate the fish that affect reef health.
7 How long have sharks existed?
- A About 5 million years
- B About 60 million years
- C About 400 million years
Show answer
✓ Answer: C. About 400 million years
Did you know? Sharks are older than trees, which appeared about 385 million years ago.
8 Which shark has a head shaped like a wide 'T'?
- A Mako shark
- B Hammerhead shark
- C Nurse shark
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Hammerhead shark
Did you know? The wide head spreads out its sensors and eyes.
9 Which shark is often cited as the fastest?
- A Whale shark
- B Greenland shark
- C Shortfin mako
Show answer
✓ Answer: C. Shortfin mako
Did you know? Makos are thought to reach bursts of around 70 km/h.
10 Which shark may live for several centuries, making it the longest-lived vertebrate known?
- A Bull shark
- B Greenland shark
- C Lemon shark
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Greenland shark
Did you know? A 2016 study estimated some Greenland sharks at around 270 to 500 years old.
11 What gives lemon sharks their name?
- A Their yellowish skin
- B Their love of citrus reefs
- C Their sour smell
Show answer
✓ Answer: A. Their yellowish skin
Did you know? The yellow-brown color blends with sandy seabeds.
12 Do sharks have to keep swimming to breathe?
- A No shark does
- B Some do, others can pump water over their gills
- C All sharks do
Show answer
✓ Answer: B. Some do, others can pump water over their gills
Did you know? Nurse sharks can rest on the seafloor; many others rely on swimming.
Why sharks matter
As top predators, sharks help keep populations of other fish in balance, which in turn protects habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds. Many species grow slowly and have few young, so they recover poorly from fishing pressure; overfishing and bycatch are the biggest threats they face.
Sharks are also sensory specialists. Organs called ampullae of Lorenzini detect the tiny electric fields of other animals, and a lateral line along the body senses vibrations in the water.
Lemon sharks and mangroves
Lemon sharks, named for their yellowish color, give birth in shallow coastal nurseries. Young lemon sharks shelter among mangrove roots for their first years, where they are safer from larger predators. The July 14, 2026 Bing Homepage Quiz asked about these nurseries, the importance of sharks and the threats they face.
Shark Quiz FAQ
What is the largest shark?
The whale shark, a gentle filter feeder that can grow to around 18 meters.
Are sharks' skeletons made of bone?
No. Sharks have skeletons made of cartilage, the same flexible tissue as in the human nose and ears.
Why are lemon sharks called lemon sharks?
Because of the yellowish-brown color of their skin, which helps camouflage them over sandy bottoms.