''Odontaspis'' (from el, ὀδούς 'tooth') and el, ἀσπίς 'shield')
is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
sand shark
Sand sharks, also known as sand tiger sharks, gray nurse sharks or ragged tooth sharks, are Lamniformes, mackerel sharks of the family (biology), family Odontaspididae. They are found worldwide in temperate and tropical waters. The three specie ...
with two extant species.
Description
![Odontaspis ferox-Requin Dents02-Montpellier-4819~2015 10 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Odontaspis_ferox-Requin_Dents02-Montpellier-4819~2015_10_02.JPG)
Bigeye sand tigers can reach a length of about and smalltooth sand tigers of about 4.1 m.
They are large-bodied sharks with long, conical snouts, broad-based
dorsal
Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to:
* Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism
* Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage
* Dorsal co ...
and
anal fin
Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...
s, and an asymmetrical
caudal fin
Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...
with a strong lower lobe.
Their
teeth
A tooth ( : teeth) is a hard, calcified structure found in the jaws (or mouths) of many vertebrates and used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores and omnivores, also use teeth to help with capturing or wounding prey, tear ...
are large, with prominent narrow cusps.
They are distinguished from the similar genus ''
Carcharias
''Carcharias'' is a genus of sand tiger sharks belonging to the family Odontaspididae. Once bearing many prehistoric species, all have gone extinct with the exception of the critically endangered sand tiger shark.
Description
''Carcharias'' ar ...
'' by the absence of crushing
posterior teeth.
[Bourdon, J]
''Odontaspis'' Agassiz 1838
''Elasmo.com''. Retrieved on December 24, 2008.
These bottom dwelling, deepwater sharks can be found in temperate and tropical waters of all the oceans.
Extant species
* ''
Odontaspis ferox
''Odontaspis'' (from el, ὀδούς 'tooth') and el, ἀσπίς 'shield') is a genus of sand shark with two extant species.
Description
Bigeye sand tigers can reach a length of about and smalltooth sand tigers of about 4.1 m.
They ...
''
( A. Risso, 1810) (smalltooth sand tiger)
* ''
Odontaspis noronhai
The bigeye sand tiger (''Odontaspis noronhai'') is an extremely rare species of mackerel shark in the family Odontaspididae, with a possible worldwide distribution. A large, bulky species reaching at least in length, the bigeye sand tiger has a ...
''
(Maul
A maul may refer to any number of large hammers, including:
* War hammer, a medieval weapon
* Post maul, a type of sledgehammer
* Spike maul, railroad hand tool
* Splitting maul, heavy wood-splitting tool resembling both axe and hammer
People
* A ...
, 1955) (bigeye sand tiger)
Extinct species
Extinct species within this genus include:
[Fossilworks]
/ref>
* ''Odontaspis aculeatus'' Capetta & Case, 1975
* ''Odontaspis speyeri'' (Dartevelle & Casier, 1943)
* ''Odontaspis winkleri'' Leriche, 1905
Fossils of ''Odontaspis'' have been found all over the world. These extinct sand sharks lived from the Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
to the Quaternary
The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ...
periods (from 136.4 to 0.012 Ma). Fossils of these fishes have been found worldwide.[
]
See also
* List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish
This list of prehistoric cartilaginous fish genera is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all genera that have ever been included in the class chondrichthyes ''and'' are known from the fossil record. This list excludes purely vernacula ...
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q574070
Odontaspididae
Extant Cretaceous first appearances
Shark genera
Taxa named by Louis Agassiz
Mooreville Chalk