Wildlife Journal Junior!
New Hampshire PBS

Home       |       Wild Files       |       N.H. Animals       |       Animals A-Z       |       Watch Online

Carcharhiniformes - Ground Sharks

 

Classification

 Kingdom: Animalia
 Phylum: Chordata
 Subphylum: Vertebrata
 Class: Chondrichthyes
 Order: Carcharhiniformes

hammerheadThere are around 200 species in this order of sharks. They are found in tropical and temperate waters. They have two dorsal fins. The dorsal fins are the fins on the shark's back. They have five gill slits, and nictitating eyelids. A nictitating eyelid is a third, clear eyelid that can cover the eye to protect it from debris!

 

 




  Families

 Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks)
 Hemigaleidae (weasel sharks)
 Leptochariidae (barbeled houndsharks)
 Proscylliidae (finback catsharks)

 Pseudotriakidae (false cat sharks)
 Scyliorhinidae (cat sharks)
 Sphyrnidae (bonnethead, hammerhead sharks)
 Triakidae (houndsharks, whiskery sharks)