Sand Tiger Shark

Carcharias taurus

FAMILY: Odontaspididae

ALSO KNOWN AS: Snaggletooth shark

CONSERVATION STATUS: Near threatened (worldwide)

RANGE: Widely distributed in all warm temperate to tropical coastal seas except the central and eastern Pacific.

LENGTH: Up to 300 cm TL ; born approximately 90 cm T

WEIGHT: 86.18 kg (190 lbs)

Illustration ©Marc Dando

Photograph ©Wix Stock

Overview

RANGE: Sand tiger sharks are widely distributed in all warm temperate to tropical coastal seas except the central and eastern Pacific.

HABITAT: Found close to the ocean floor from the surf zone to offshore reefs in coastal temperate and tropical waters. Historical range in eastern North America extends from New Brunswick to the Gulf of Mexico. Most abundant from Cape Cod to New York between June and October.

Map ©IUCN

IDENTIFICATION: Large, brown body with a conical snout flattened on top. Long, pointed teeth with multiple cusps. Corners of mouth extend behind the eyes. First dorsal fin originates well behind pectoral fins

INTERESTING FACTS: Diet includes a wide variety of fishes and smaller sharks. Slow to reproduce; two pups every other year. Pups develop in one of two uteri and feed on less developed siblings and unfertilized eggs in the uterus. Large aggregations during mating season makes the species especially vulnerable to overfishing. Commonly displayed in aquaria, presumably due to fearsome appearance and large size.

IUCN CONSERVATION STATUS: Vulnerable to extinction

This is a PROHIBITED species and is federally protected.

Citation: IUCN