Reproduction of the White sharks are viviparous

White sharks are viviparous (embryos hatching in uteri, with the female giving birth to live young). Embryos are nourished through oophagy (ingestion of unfertilized eggs). While in uteri, the embryonic white sharks swallow their own sets of shedded teeth, perhaps to reutilize calcium and other minerals. Size at birth ranges from 120-150 cm (47-59 in) in total length. It is possible that any one female only reproduces biennually, mating soon after giving birth, but this remains to be confirmed. Gestation time is also unknown, but is thought to be quite long, possibly up to one year. Some bite-marks observed on the dorsum, flanks and particularly the pectoral fins of mature female white sharks have been interpreted as results of mating activity. As in other species of sharks, the male white shark most likely grabs the female during copulation. Some records suggest that parturition occurs in temperate shelf waters during the spring to late summer. Click here for more information on the reproductive strategy of white sharks.