River Critters:
Sand Tiger Sharks


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Classification
  Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Subclass
Order
Suborder
Family
Genius
Species
Animalia
Chordata
Vertebrata
Chondrichthyes
Elasmobranchii
Selachii
Galeiformes
Odontaspidae
Carcharias
taurus
Sand Tiger Shark
The Sand Tiger Shark (Carcharias taurus)

These sharks are just one species of shark found in this area, but they have an interesting story to tell. They are called the "ragged-tooth shark" in Africa. They have a staring yellow eye and a mouthful of the wicked-looking teeth and have the reputation as a "natural born preditor".

They reach a maximum length of about ten feet in the Atlantic, but larger ones have been reported in other locations. In some places they are considered harmless, while in others they are considered very dangerous. In American waters, Carcharias taurus is considered to be unaggressive and fairly easy to catch. In this area, they are usually quite small.

Sand tigers appear to be omnivorous, feeding on many fishes, including slow swimmers and bottom dwellers, and even crabs. But what makes them so interesting is that their embryos are oviphagous ("egg-eating"). Two embryos develop in the uterus, one in each side. Each embryo then consumes the eggs as they come down the oviduct, accounting for their large size at birth (about three feet) - and for their reputation as "natural born preditors".


Worldwide Confirmed Unprovoked Shark Attacks
1990-1996

Place Total
Attacks
Fatalities
World 334 44
U.S. 174 4

Attacking Species of Sharks (1554-1996) Attacks
Great White Carcharodon Carcharius 231
Tiger Galeocerdo cuvier 67
Bull Carcharhinus leucas 57
Sand Tiger Carcharius taurus 31
Requiem Carcharhinus spp. 28


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