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How can we know the shark's gender?

Male



Female




Male sharks have claspers on the inner parts of the pelvic fins, whereas the females do not. Unlike the name suggests, these claspers are used for internal fertilization, and fufill a role similar to the mammalian penis. They are not used to grasp the female. In certain species of shark, such as the Mako shark, it can be difficult to see the claspers. They are best described as "cigar-shaped", or "sausage-shaped".


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