Echinorhinus
| Echinorhinus Temporal range:
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|---|---|
| |
| Bramble shark, Echinorhinus brucus | |
| |
| Echinorhinus brucus, mounted specimen, on display at the Natural History Museum of the University of Pisa | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Subdivision: | Selachimorpha |
| Order: | Squaliformes |
| Family: | Echinorhinidae T. N. Gill, 1862 |
| Genus: | Echinorhinus Blainville, 1816 |
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| The distribution of the two Echinorhinus species | |
Echinorhinus is the only extant genus in the family Echinorhinidae.
Taxonomy
Echinorhinidae are traditionally classified in the order Squaliformes, together with
sawsharks.[4][5] Phylogenetic placement of Echinorhinidae has been ambiguous in morphological and molecular studies, either being included within Squaliformes, considered sister to Squaliformes, or placed in a separate group with Sawsharks (Pristiophoriformes) or angel sharks (Squatiniformes).[4]
For this reason they are sometimes given their own order, Echinorhiniformes.
Etymology
The name is from Greek echinos meaning "spiny" and rhinos meaning "nose".
Species
- Echinorhinus brucus Bonnaterre, 1788 (bramble shark)
- Echinorhinus cookei Pietschmann, 1928 (prickly shark)
Description
This genus includes two extant species of uncommon, little-known sharks. Both species are relatively large sharks, at 3.1 to 4.0 m (10.2 to 13.1 ft) in body length. They are characterized by a short nose and by rough, thorn-like
anal fin. Two small spineless dorsal fins
are positioned far back.
Biology
They are
ovoviviparous, with the mother retaining the egg-cases inside her body until they hatch, producing litters up to 24 pups.[6] They feed on smaller sharks, smaller bony fish, and on crabs and cephalopods
.
Distribution
These sharks are found worldwide in cold temperate to tropical seas from the surface down to 900 m (3,000 ft).[6]
See also
References
- ^ Sepkoski, Jack (2002). "A compendium of fossil marine animal genera (Chondrichthyes entry)". Bulletins of American Paleontology. 364: 560. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ISBN 9780691120720
- ^ "Echinorhinus brucus". Florida Museum. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
- ^ PMID 26277575.
- ISBN 978-1-4398-3924-9.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Echinorhinidae" in FishBase. January 2009 version.
- "Echinorhinus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 4 May 2006.
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Echinorhinidae" in FishBase. January 2006 version.
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). Species of Echinorhinus in FishBase. January 2006 version.
- FAO Species Catalogue Volume 4 Parts 1 and 2 Sharks of the World