Sand shark
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 Sand tiger shark, Carcharias taurus
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See text for genera and species. |
Sand sharks, also known as sand tigers shark or ragged toothed sharks, are lamniform sharks of the family Odontaspididae (or sometimes - but incorrectly - referred to as Carchariidae). They are found on both sides of the Atlantic coast, but most notably in the Western Indian Ocean and in the Gulf of Maine. There are four species in two genera. Sand sharks are the only known shark to surface for gulps of air. They store the air in their stomachs which allows them to float motionless in the water as they hunt for prey.
The sand tiger shark is a U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service Species of Concern. Species of Concern are those species about which the U.S. Government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, has some concerns regarding status and threats, but for which insufficient information is available to indicate a need to list the species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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[edit] Species Description
Sand sharks have a large second dorsal fin. They typically grow to 5 to 9 ft. on average. The body tends to be brown in color with dark markings in the upper half. They possess a rudimentary swim bladder - a highly unusual feature in sharks - which enables them to have exquisite control over their buoyancy compared with other sharks. Their needle-like teeth are highly adapted for impaling fish - their main prey.
[edit] Reproduction
Sand sharks only develop two embryos, one in each uterus. The strongest pups eat other embryos and any other unfertilized eggs in a process called "intrauterine cannibalism" before being born. They have a gestation period of about 9 to 12 months.
[edit] Conservation
The sand tiger shark is managed by the Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan (FMP). However, sand tiger sharks have also been used for fishmeal, oil (from its liver), and its fins are used for the Oriental sharkfin trade. Sand tigers are very susceptible to fishery exploitation because they aggregate in large numbers during the mating season at particular coastal spots. These aggregations have been targeted in the past by fisheries.
[edit] Conservation Designations
IUCN[1]:Vulnerable
American Fisheries Society: Vulnerable
[edit] Status Reviews
A status review under the Endangered Species Act is underway.
[edit] References
- NMFS. Species of Concern Fact Sheet[2]. 2008
- Fishbase on sand tigers
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] Species
- Genera Carcharias
- Sand tiger shark, Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810 [3]
- Indian sand tiger, Carcharias tricuspidatus Day, 1878 [4]
- Genera Odontaspis
- Smalltooth sand tiger or bumpytail raggedtooth, Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810) [5]
- Bigeye sand tiger, Odontaspis noronhai (Maul, 1955) [6]
