Carcharhiniformes
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| The Blacktip reef shark, Carcharhinus melanopterus, is one of the many types of Ground Sharks. | |
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| Order: | Carcharhiniformes
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Carcharhiniformes is the largest order of sharks. Also known as Ground sharks or Whaler sharks, this group contains over 270 species of shark. It includes some common ones like the Blue shark, Bull shark, Tiger shark and the hammerhead sharks.
Ground sharks have a special membrane which protects their eyes when needed. They have two dorsal fins, an anal fin, and five gill slits.
Ground sharks are found in open oceans, seas, estuaries, and brackish waters.
Families
There are eight families in this order:
- Carcharhinidae (Requiem sharks)
- Hemigaleidae (Weasel sharks)
- Leptochariidae (Barbeled houndsharks)
- Proscylliidae (Finback cat sharks)
- Pseudotriakidae (False cat sharks)
- Scyliorhinidae (Cat sharks)
- Sphyrnidae (Hammerhead sharks)
- Triakidae (Hound sharks)
References
- "BBC Nature - Ground sharks videos,news and facts". bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 June 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2013.