Carcharhiniformes
Carcharhiniformes is the largest order of sharks. Also known as Ground sharks or Whaler sharks, this group contains over 270 species of shark. It includes some common ones like the Blue shark, Bull shark, Tiger shark and the hammerhead sharks.
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| The Blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus, is one of the many types of Ground Sharks. | |
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| Order: | Carcharhiniformes
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Ground sharks have a special membrane which protects their eyes when needed. They have two dorsal fins, an anal fin, and five gill slits.
Ground sharks are found in open oceans, seas, estuaries, and brackish waters.
Families
There are eight families in this order:
- Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
- Hemigaleidae (Weasel sharks)
- Leptochariidae (Barbeled houndsharks)
- Proscylliidae (Finback cat sharks)
- Pseudotriakidae (False cat sharks)
- Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks)
- Sphyrnidae (Hammerhead sharks)
- Triakidae (Hound sharks)
Carcharhiniformes Media
Groundsharks, like this blacknose shark, have a nictitating membrane which can be drawn over the eye to protect it.
Carcharhinus melanopterus SI2
Tiger shark, Bahamas
Chaenogaleus macrostoma Day - cropped
Triaenodon smithii by muller and henle
Eridacnis radcliffei Smith, 1913
Pseudotriakis acrales by jordan and snyder
Whitesaddled catshark (Scyliorhinus hesperius)
Hammerhead shark, Cocos Island, Costa Rica
A leopard shark (Triakis semifasciata) and two blacksmith damselfish (Chromis punctipinnis), swimming in a kelp forest in the 70,000 gallon (approx. 265,000 litre) kelp tank at Scripps Aquar
References
- "BBC Nature - Ground sharks videos,news and facts". bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.