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Sand Tiger Shark
(Odontaspis taurus)
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In western Altantic from Gulf of Maine to
Argentina. In eastern Atlantic off Europe and North Africa and
in Mediterranean Sea.
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The sand tiger shark swims with its mouth open, exposing
a large number of long, three-pronged teeth. Although its teeth are adapted
to feed on small fishes, they give the sand tiger a savage appearance
that thrills aquarium visitors. It is probably the most common shark found
in public aquariums, where some sand tigers have survived for up to 10
years. (Most large sharks die quickly in captivity.)
The sand tiger may reach 10 feet long and inhabits shallow water. While
the potential for harming humans exists, this species is not considered
very dangerous because of its sluggish, nocturnal habits and teeth unsuitable
for taking large prey.
The sand tiger shark may be found in the western Atlantic from the Gulf
of Maine to Argentina, the Atlantic coast of Europe and North Africa,
and the Mediterranean Sea. A summer resident of Delaware Bay, where it
bears its young, the sand tiger matures at about 7 feet. Females bear
two pups a year, one from each of her oviducts (egg-laying tubes). While
in the oviduct, the embryos are cannibalistic and eat the other eggs and
each other until only one survives. This allows the pups to grow quite
large before birth. Young of up to 40 inches have been reported.
Curiously, this shark reportedly swallows air, holding the air in its
stomach to achieve neutral buoyancy, and has been observed resting motionlessly
off the bottom. Small groups have been know to herd and prey on schools
of fish.
There are at least 370 species of shark in the world, ranging from 6 inches
to more than 40 feet long. Eighty percent of the world's shark species
are under 5 feet when fully grown. Many sharks are becoming endangered
because people like to eat them.
To learn more about other sharks of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region, check
out the Shark
bulletin in our Sea Grant publications catalog.
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