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Zebra shark

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

          Not to be confused with the leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata.

                   iZebra shark

                             Conservation status

   Vulnerable (VU)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom:  Animalia
   Phylum:   Chordata
   Class:    Chondrichthyes
   Subclass: Elasmobranchii
   Order:    Orectolobiformes
   Family:   Stegostomatidae
             Gill, 1862
   Genus:    Stegostoma
             Müller & Henle, 1837
   Species:  S. fasciatum

                                Binomial name

   Stegostoma fasciatum
   ( Hermann, 1783)

   The zebra shark, Stegostoma fasciatum, is a common carpet shark of
   inshore Indo-Pacific waters notable for its very long caudal fin,
   nearly as long as its body. It is the only species in the family
   Stegostomatidae and the genus Stegostoma.

Naming

   The species is also mistaken for the leopard shark, a name which can
   refer to either of the species Stegostoma fasciatum or Triakis
   semifasciata which is a totally different shark from the eastern
   pacific. The name zebra shark is given because as a juvenile the shark
   have stripes like the zebra, when it grows up it turns into
   leopard-like spots. It is a very sleek and skinny shark, about 11.5
   feet long.

Distribution and habitat

   The zebra shark is found in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean and
   Indian Ocean at depths of about 5 to 30 meters.

Anatomy and appearance

   In addition to the long tail, the zebra shark has distinctive ridges
   running down its body. As its names suggest, it is patterned; young
   sharks are dark with yellowish stripes, changing to an adult pattern of
   a tan colour with dark spots, found all over including the fins. The
   snout is rather rounded, with small barbels (whiskers). Maximum known
   length is about 230 cm.

Behaviour

   The zebra shark is a slow-moving type, often just sitting on the
   seafloor in the vicinity of coral reefs, on sandy or rocky bottoms.
   Unlike most types of sharks, it does not need to move, and instead
   pumps water through its gills.

Diet

   It feeds on molluscs, crustaceans, and small fish that it sucks out of
   the sand at night, and is capable of wiggling through small holes and
   crevices in its search for food.

Importance to humans

   Zebra sharks do well in captivity, and a number of aquariums around the
   world have them on display. They are fished commercially on a small
   scale. They are often seen by scuba divers, and will lay still on the
   bottom as long as a diver does not come too close. They are harmless to
   divers as long as they are not disturbed.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_shark"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
