Crocodile Shark [Pseudocarcharias kamoharai]
Description
The Crocodile Shark is a species of mackerel shark and the only extant member of the family Pseudocarchariidae. A small, slim species, it reaches a length of 1.1 m (3.6 ft). It is characterized by a long, bulbous snout, large eyes, a slender body, and relatively small fins. This species is named for its notable teeth, which are long, slim, and fang-like. It is a pelagic species that can be found from the surface to a depth of 590 m (1,940 ft). It conducts a diel vertical migration, staying deep during the day and moving into shallower waters at night to feed. Its diet consists mainly of small bony fishes and cephalopods. Reproduction is ovoviviparous, with females bearing litters of up to four young. This shark is harmless and rarely encountered by humans.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Cartilaginous Fish
Chondrichthyes
|
| Order |
Mackerel Sharks
Lamniformes
|
| Family |
Crocodile Sharks
Pseudocarchariidae
|
| Genus |
Crocodile Shark
Pseudocarcharias
|