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Odontaspididae - sand tiger sharks

Small-tooth Sand Tiger SharkThere are three species in this family of sharks. They can be up to 12 feet in length. They have stout, torpedo-shaped bodies; sharply pointed snouts; five pairs of short gill slits; a large anal fin; and two dorsal fins that are around the same size.

They are found in temperate and tropical regions in all the world's oceans at depths of 600-4,000 feet. They eat bony fish, rays, squid, sharks, and crustaceans. Females give birth to live young and the newly hatched sharks often eat their siblings or their eggs while still in the womb.

Species include: the sand tiger shark, which is also known as the gray nurse shark; the smalltooth sand tiger shark, and the bigeye sand tiger shark.

World Status Key
Least ConcernLeast Concern Near ThreatenedNear Threatened VulnerableVulnerable EndangeredEndangered Critically EndangeredCritically Endangered extinct in the wildExtinct in Wild extinctExtinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in US Threatened in New Hampshire Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in US Endangered in NH Endangered in NH Introduced Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

  New Hampshire Species

 

 North/Central American Species

Sand Tiger Shark - Carcharias taurus Vulnerable
   Small-tooth Sand Tiger Shark - Odontaspis ferox Vulnerable
Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark - Odontaspis noronhai

Other Species Around the World

Africa Africa Asia Asia Australia Australia/Oceania Europe Europe North America North America South AmericaSouth America New Hampshire Species NH Species
Arctic OceanArctic Ocean atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean indian OceanIndian Ocean southern oceanMediterranean/Black Sea pacific oceanPacific Ocean

Sand Tiger Shark - Carcharias taurus Vulnerable Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean indian Ocean southern ocean pacific ocean New Hampshire Species
Small-tooth Sand Tiger Shark - Odontaspis ferox Vulnerable Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean indian Ocean southern ocean pacific ocean
Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark - Odontaspis noronhai Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean pacific ocean		  

Additional Information

Key: profile Profile Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio

Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark - Odontaspis noronhai profile Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean pacific ocean
The bigeye sand tiger shark is found in deep ocean waters and not a lot is known about it.
Source: Shark Foundation Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Sand Tiger Shark - Carcharias taurus profile Photos Video Vulnerable Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean indian Ocean southern ocean pacific ocean New Hampshire Species
The sand tiger shark is found in temperate and tropical waters around the world.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Sand Tiger Shark - Carcharias taurus profile Photos Vulnerable Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean indian Ocean southern ocean pacific ocean New Hampshire Species
The sand tiger shark is found from the Gulf of Maine to Argentina in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Sand Tiger Shark - Carcharias taurus profile Photos Vulnerable Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean indian Ocean southern ocean pacific ocean New Hampshire Species
Sand tigers are the only shark known to come to the surface and gulp air.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Sand Tiger Shark - Carcharias taurus profile Photos Video Vulnerable Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean indian Ocean southern ocean pacific ocean New Hampshire Species
The air that sand tiger sharks gulp help make them more buoyant.
Source: National Geographic Kids Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School

Sand Tiger Shark - Carcharias taurus profile Photos Video Vulnerable Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean indian Ocean southern ocean pacific ocean New Hampshire Species
The sand tiger shark is found in inshore waters at depths of 6 to 626 feet.
Source: Florida Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Small-tooth Sand Tiger Shark - Odontaspis ferox profile Photos Vulnerable Africa Asia Australia Europe North America South America atlantic Ocean indian Ocean southern ocean pacific ocean
The small-tooth sand tiger shark is found in temperate and tropical waters around the world.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School


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