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Sand shark

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Insects, Reptiles and
Fish

               iSand sharks
   Grey nurse shark, Carcharias taurus
   Grey nurse shark, Carcharias taurus
         Scientific classification

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

                                   Genera

   See text for genera and species.

   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 5 to
   9 ft on average. The body tends to be brown in colour with dark
   markings in the upper half. It also has a flattened snout.

Reproduction

   Sand sharks only develop two embryos, one in each uterus. The strongest
   pups eat the other embryos before being born. They have a gestation
   period of about 9 to 12 months.

Species

     * Genera Carcharias
          + Grey nurse shark or sand tiger shark, Carcharias taurus
            Rafinesque, 1810
          + Indian sand tiger, Carcharias tricuspidatus Day, 1878
     * Genera Odontaspis
          + Smalltooth sand tiger or bumpytail raggedtooth, Odontaspis
            ferox (Risso, 1810)
          + Bigeye sand tiger, Odontaspis noronhai (Maul, 1955)

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_shark"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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