Sand Tiger Shark

The sand tiger is the shark most commonly seen in aquariums.
Sand Tiger Shark Scientific Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Chondrichthyes
Family
Odontaspididae
Order
Lamniformes
Genus
Sand Tiger Shark Physical Characteristics
Color
Grey-Brown
Population
Unknown, but its population decreased by 20 percent in just the last decade due to overfishing.
Lifespan
13 to 35 years
Top speed
0.87 mph
Weight
110 to 660.79 pounds
Sand Tiger Shark Distribition

” The Sand Tiger Shark just looks relentless!”

Though the sand tiger hunts the seas with cool, gazing eyes and a mouthful of sharp teeth, and one of the most terrible component of its life process takes place prior to it’s also birthed, the shark is in fact peaceable. It likewise endures bondage, and those sharks one sees swimming round and round in fish tanks are typically sand tigers.

4 Extraordinary Sand Tiger Shark realities!

  • The discovered rough- tooth shark has an intriguing life process. The initial infant to get to 4 inches in size in the uterine horn consumes its smaller sized siblings and siblings and any kind of unhatched eggs.
  • As A Result Of the above, these shark’s reproduction price is just one of the most affordable of all the sharks.
  • Male grey nurse sharks surpass females 2 to one.
  • Regardless of its names, the sand tiger shark isn’t a close family member of either the tiger shark, the nurse shark or the bull shark.

Sand Tiger Shark Classification and Scientific Name

The sand tiger comes from a genus of sharks called Carcharias, and its scientific name is Carcharias taurus. Carcharias originates from the Greek karkaharos, which suggests rugged or sharp, and taurus is Latin for bull. There are 4 species, and below are some realities regarding them:

Sand Tiger Shark Species

  • Carcharias taurus This is the traditional sand tiger shark.
  • Carcharias tricuspidatus This is the Indian sand tiger. Biologists do not understand much regarding it, and numerous suspect that it coincides species as C. taurus
  • Odontaspis ferox This shark is called the tiny- tooth sand tiger. It is discovered all over the world in much deeper waters.
  • Odontaspis noronhai This is the bigeye sand tiger shark. The bigeye sand tiger is discovered in much deeper waters than C. taurus, and researchers do not understand much regarding it.

Sand Tiger Shark Appearance

The sand tiger has a durable, torpedo- designed body. Its head concerns a factor, with a cone- designed nose. It’s typically regarding 10 feet long and evaluates in between 110 to as high as 661 extra pounds. Females are larger than males.

Heaven- registered nurse sand tiger swims with its mouth open, exposing rows of rough teeth that provide it among its numerous names. Unlike its relative the bigeye sand tiger shark, C. taurus’ eyes are tiny. The shark is light grayish- brownish ahead with a light stubborn belly, and it has coppery brownish places on its body and fins. The pectoral fins lag the last gill opening, and it has 2 spineless dorsal fins and rectal fins that are everything about equivalent dimension. The tail has a lengthy top wattle and a brief reduced wattle.

Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) swimming with other fish in an aquarium.
Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus) swimming with various other fish in a fish tank.Valeri Potapova/Shutterstock.com

Sand Tiger Shark vs. Tiger Shark

Many individuals perplex the sand tiger shark with the tiger shark, however they’re not very closely relevant. Right here are some realities:

  • The sand tiger shark comes from the Carcharias genus, while the tiger shark comes from the Galeocerdo genus. Its scientific name is Galeocerdo cuvier
  • Heaven- registered nurse sand tiger shark is uncommon because its dorsal and rectal fins coincide dimension. The tiger shark has one huge and one tiny dorsal fin.
  • The sand tiger is brown grey ahead while the tiger shark is blue and even light eco-friendly with tiger red stripes that discolor as the animal ages.
  • The sand tiger’s teeth are smooth, lengthy and involve factors like needles. The teeth of the tiger shark are razor- sharp, serrated and have tops that direct sidewards to not just tear via meat however crush tough products such as turtle coverings.
  • The grey nurse shark consumes smaller sized sharks, bony fish and shellfishes. The larger tiger shark has a a lot more different diet that can consist of birds, seals, sea turtles, dolphins and also human refuse.
  • The tiger shark is larger than the grey nurse shark. It typically expands to 16.5 feet long and can consider over a bunch.
  • The tiger shark is well-known for striking humans, while the rough tooth identified shark is extra accommodating.

Sand Tiger Distribution, Population, and Environment

These sharks are discovered all over the world in cozy waters, mainly off the eastern and southerly coastlines of the USA, the southeastern shore of South America, in the Mediterranean, and off the coastlines of Africa, Australia, China, and Indochina. Though it can dive to over 600 feet, it favors superficial waters, where it pursues stealthily and in the evening.

Its population has actually decreased due to the fact that it mores than- pursued, as its fins are utilized for shark fin soup, and the oil from its liver is utilized in cosmetics. It’s recorded for screen in fish tanks all over the world considering that it endures bondage. Some individuals merely eliminate the shark as a result of its relentless appearances. It’s likewise captured in webs, and infant sharks are vulnerable to contamination.

Sand Tiger Predators and Victim

Humans are the only animals that take advantage of these grown-up sharks. Child sharks are consumed by bigger sharks.

The sand tiger’s victim consists of fish, smaller sized sharks, lobsters, squid, rays, and skates. In some cases these sharks collaborate by rounding up fish right into spheres prior to they strike them. Sand tigers can be unsafe when they remain in a feeding craze, for they’ll strike anything that neighbors.

It’s likewise vulnerable to being parasitized by lampreys, which affix to the shark and consume its blood.

Sand Tiger Reproduction and Life Expectancy

Among the factors that sand tigers remain in problem is their uncommon life process. Females just generate one or at a lot of 2 puppies at once, and they just reproduce every 2 or 3 years. Prior to this, the male and female shark participate in a courtship routine that entails attacking and circling around. Sand tiger sharks reproduce from August to December in the north hemisphere and August to October in the southerly hemisphere.

The female is gravid for regarding a year, after that brings to life a couple of 3- foot long puppies that are quickly independent.

These sharks live regarding a lots years in bondage however can live around 35 years in the wild.

Sand Tiger in Angling and Food Preparation

These sharks are captured on lines, in webs, and are speared. Their fins are utilized to make shark fin soup.

Sand Tiger Population

These sharks’ population is lowering, and it is thought about vulnerable to termination. Biologists think that there are just around 400 of these sharks of reproducing age off the shore of eastern Australia, which is insufficient to maintain the population.

References:

  1. Florida Museum, Available here: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/carcharias-taurus/
  2. Wikipedia, Available here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand_tiger_shark
  3. Shark References, Available here: https://shark-references.com/species/view/Carcharias-taurus
  4. Animal Diversity Web, Available here: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Carcharias_taurus/

Relate animals

Abyssinian Guinea Pig

They are one of the oldest breeds of guinea pig

Ackie Monitor

The ackie monitor has a spiny tail which it uses as in self-defense.

Albertonectes

The Albertonectes had the longest neck out of other Elasmosaurids.

American Bully

Though the American bully was bred to look intimidating, it makes an extremely friendly family pet!

Latest Animal News