Shark Classification and SC Regulations

Shark Classification

• Sharks belong to Kingdom Animalia and Phylum Chordata.
• Subphylum is Vertebrata; Class is Chondrichthyes, which includes sharks and rays.
• Most sharks fall under the Order Carcharhiniformes, while most rays belong to Rajiformes.

Key Shark Families

• Family Carcharhinidae: Includes species such as Bull, Blacktip, Sandbar, Blacknose, Tiger, and Lemon sharks.
• Family Sphyrnidae: Contains hammerhead sharks; known for intelligence and keen smell; primarily eat stingrays.
• Family Dasyatidae: Home to Southern Stingrays, which often hide in soft seabed sediments.
• Family Mobulidae: Includes Manta Ray, notable for its size and filter-feeding habits.
• Family Myliobatidae: Includes Spotted Eagle and Cownose Rays.
• Family Rajidae: Known for Skates.
• Family Alopiidae: Features Thresher Sharks, known for their long tails used for stunning prey.
• Family Pristiophoridae: Includes the Sawshark, characterized by its dorsal fins.
• Family Lamnidae: Contains Great White sharks, infamous for aggressiveness and predatory behavior.
• Family Cetorhinidae: Includes Basking Sharks, recognized for their plankton-filtering gill rakers.
• Family Scyliorhinidae: Home to Cat Sharks, which have distinctive dorsal fin structures.
• Family Squalidae: Includes Spiny Dogfish, known for dorsal spines.
• Family Isuridae: Houses the Shortfin Mako, recognized as the fastest shark.
• Family Scapanorhynchidae: Includes Goblin Sharks, noted for their unique forward-extending mouths.

Characteristics of Notable Shark Species

• Bull Shark: Reaches up to 8 feet; adaptable to salt and freshwater environments.
• Blacktip Shark: A reef shark species.
• Sandbar Shark: Characterized by a high first dorsal fin; prefers sandy, shallow waters.
• Blacknose Shark: Identified by a dark blotch at the snout tip.
• Tiger Shark: Known for eating sea turtles; referred to as "garbage disposal of the sea."
• Lemon Shark: Can grow up to 10 feet; has a yellowish-brown coloration and feeds on crustaceans.
• Great White Shark: Aggressive; feeds on marine mammals and is considered a "man-eater."
• Basking Shark: Filters plankton while lying motionless at the surface.

Additional Facts

• Sharks possess cartilaginous skeletons rather than bony structures.
• Not all sharks are carnivorous; most are, but there are exceptions.
• Shark fin soup is a traditional Chinese dish involving shark fin, often associated with luxury.
• While sleeping, sharks keep both eyes open, relying on a mechanism to continue swimming.
• Species like the Nurse Shark can remain stationary and do not need to swim continuously.
• The Bull Shark is classified as one of the most dangerous to humans.