Animal Unique | Atlantic Sharpnose Shark | The Atlantic sharpnose shark is a requiem shark of the family Carcharhinidae. These sharks prefer subtropical waters near continental shelf outside of the intertidal zone to deeper waters. They are often found near the surf zone of sandy beaches and closed bays, sounds, harbors, estuaries and river mouths. This shark is able to tolerate low salinity, but they do not venture into freshwater bull sharks. Atlantic sharpnose sharks are found in the western Atlantic from New Brunswick, Canada south to the Gulf of Mexico and the Southwest Atlantic along the coast of Brazil in waters ranging from 10 to 280 m.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus: Rhizoprionodon
Species: R. terraenovae
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Carcharhinidae
Genus: Rhizoprionodon
Species: R. terraenovae
Atlantic sharpnose sharks are small, gray, streamlined shark, with characteristic long, pointed snout. The males reach at least 1 m long, females may be slightly higher to 1.1 m. Their average weight is 7.25 kg. The edge of the anal fins are straight or slightly concave. Their second dorsal fin located behind their anal fins. Atlantic Sharp Nose sharks are known to be at least 10 years of age to reach.
Sexual maturity is reached when an Atlantic sharpnose shark is about 83 cm. The young are fed into the female viviparous development. Litters of 4-7 pups are born in June in shallow water or estuaries. Newborns are 22-35 cm in length. Atlantic sharpnose sharks feed on small bony fishes, shrimps, crabs, worms and mollusks. This shark, like most, is harmless to humans. The Atlantic sharpnose shark is a common nuisance to fishermen as bait for other fish to take. It's a small shark and not considered dangerous to humans.
Animal Unique