Sand shark

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Sand sharks

Grey Nurse Shark, Carcharias taurus

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Order:	Lamniformes
Family:	Odontaspididae Müller & Henle, 1839

Genera

Carcharias
Odontaspis

Sand sharks, or sand tigers, are lamniform sharks of the family Odontaspididae (or sometimes referred to as Carchariidae). They are found on both sides of the Atlantic coast, but most notably in the Gulf of Maine. There are four species in two genera.

Anatomy

Sand sharks have a large second dorsal fin. They typically grow to about 10 to 20 feet(3 to 6 meters) in length. Its body tends to be brown in colour with dark markings in the upper half. It also has a flattened snout.

Reproduction

Sand sharks only allow two embryos to develop, cannibalizing the rest of the unfertilized eggs. They have a gestation period of about 9 to 12 months.

Species

Carcharias

Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810 ( Grey Nurse Shark or Sand tiger shark) [1]
Carcharias tricuspidatus Day, 1878 ( Indian sand tiger) [2]

Odontaspis

Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810) ( Smalltooth sand tiger or bumpytail raggedtooth) [3]
Odontaspis noronhai (Maul, 1955) ( Bigeye sand tiger) [4]

Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_shark"

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